Shawon Dunston pays touching tribute to Ryne Sandberg on MLB Network

In the hours since Ryne Sandberg’s passing, tributes have poured in from all corners of baseball. But none rang quite as true or heartfelt as those from his longtime double-play partner, Shawon Dunston.

Though nearly three decades had passed since they played together, Dunston and Sandberg stayed close friends until the very end. On Monday night, the Sandberg family announced his passing, which came roughly seven months after he disclosed that his prostate cancer had returned and spread.

On Tuesday, Dunston appeared on MLB Network to share his memories and discuss the impact Sandberg had on both the game and those lucky enough to call him a friend.

Across 16 seasons with the Cubs (1982-97), Sandberg earned nine Gold Gloves, 10 All-Star selections, and the 1984 National League MVP. Those achievements earned him an induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, and his No. 23 was retired by the Chicago Cubs. He earned himself a place in the team’s Hall of Fame, and also has a statue right outside Wrigley Field.

But, it was the human side of Sandberg that Dunston was focused on — the rare openness and affection between men who often keep their emotions guarded.

“In the last couple of days, he reached out to me, Andre [Dawson], and Mark Grace,” Dunston said. “He told us he loves us. And he loves all you Cubs fans, too. ‘Go Cubs.’”

Dunston called those last conversations “touching,” while underscoring how unusual it is for men, especially in sports, to openly express love for each other.

“We as men, we don’t know how to express our feelings to each other,” Dunston reflected. “Men don’t know how to say we love each other.”

His voice cracked with emotion as he fought through tears, revealing the deep pain of losing a friend who “didn’t say much” but made sure his love was clear in the end.

MLB Network will re-air “The Sandberg Game” this Saturday at 11 a.m. ET as a tribute to his legacy.