An unforgettable brotherhood says goodbye.
In a moment that tore at the hearts of Cubs fans everywhere, Lee Smith, Jody Davis, and Leon “Bull” Durham — three of Ryne Sandberg’s closest teammates — were seen standing shoulder to shoulder, eyes glistening, as they paid final respects to their longtime friend and infield leader.
The private funeral, held in Chicago under tight security, became a powerful reunion of Cubs legends from the 1980s, all gathered to honor a man who wasn’t just their second baseman — he was their glue, their voice, their captain without a “C.”
“We didn’t just lose a teammate,” Lee Smith said through tears. “We lost a brother.”
Jody Davis, who caught thousands of pitches behind Sandberg at second, placed an old Cubs cap gently on the casket before whispering, “You always had my back, 23. Now rest easy.”
Leon Durham, famously emotional, couldn’t hold back — removing his sunglasses to wipe his eyes as “Go Cubs Go” played softly in the background.
“He made all of us better — on and off the field,” Durham said, voice cracking. “That was Ryne. That was Ryno.”
Inside sources say the three legends spent over an hour after the service sharing stories — about the 1984 run, clubhouse pranks, and Ryne’s legendary work ethic. One witness even overheard Lee Smith joke:
“I swear, if he were here, he’d tell us all to quit cryin’ and go throw some damn BP.”
Ryne Sandberg may be gone, but the heart of that Cubs era beat louder than ever in that small chapel — thanks to three men who never forgot what it meant to wear blue beside him.