Flashback #17: Ryne Sandberg Retires (1994)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

June 13, 1994 - Ryne Sandberg retires game

For more than a decade, Ryne Sandberg was the face of baseball on the North Side, and 57 games into the 1994 season, he decided it was time to walk away.

Sandberg announced his shocking retirement at the age of 34, with the Cubs just one loss away from owning the worst record in the National League -- again.

The future looked dimmed for the Cubs, which made it tough for an aging Sandberg to keep his competitive edge.

After he announced his retirement Sandberg said that his greatest regret was never having gotten to the World Series.

Since he left in the middle of his contract, Sandberg walked away from more than $15 million. The Cubs still owed him about $12 million on the remaining two years of his contract and the balance of $5.9 million for 1994.

Though he would return to the Cubs during the 1996 season, at the time of his first retirement, Sandberg had a career .289 batting average, 245 home runs, 905 RBIs and 2,133 hits over 14 seasons.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »