Cub legend Sandberg diagnosed with cancer
Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
The 64-year-old Sandberg said Monday in a release put out by the Baseball Hall of Fame that he has started treatment.
“I am surrounded by my loving wife, Margaret, our incredibly supportive family, the best medical care team, and our dear friends,” Sandberg said. “We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for me and my family.”
Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBI and 344 steals in 16 seasons in the majors. He made his big-league debut with Philadelphia in 1981 and appeared in 13 games with the Phillies before he was traded to the Cubs in January 1982.
Sandberg turned into one of the majors’ best all-around performers with the Cubs. He made 10 All-Star teams and won nine Gold Gloves. He also was the NL MVP in 1984.
Metastatic prostate cancer occurs when prostate cancer cells spread to nearby tissue.
DEPAUL COACH FIRED
DePaul fired coach Tony Stubblefield on Monday after he was unable to turn around a once-proud program that has struggled in recent decades.
The Blue Demons were 28-54 overall and 9-38 in Big East play in two-plus seasons under Stubblefield. They’re headed to their fourth straight losing season with a 3-15 record and 0-7 mark in the conference.
DePaul has dropped 20 of 21 games against Big East opponents counting the league tournament since beating then-No. 8 Xavier on Jan. 18, 2023. Stubblefield’s final game was a loss at Butler on Saturday.
POLL SHAKE-UP
The AP Top 25 had another week of upheaval, with teams bouncing around like kernels in a popcorn maker.
The same two teams remained at the top amid the poll turmoil.
Reigning national champion Connecticut stayed No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released Monday, receiving 44 firstplace votes from a 61-person media panel. No. 2 Purdue got 17 first-place votes.
A loss by Kansas jumbled the rest of the top five.
Third-ranked North Carolina, No.4 Houston and No. 5 Tennessee all moved up a spot by sweeping two games each last week.
The Jayhawks dropped four spots to No. 7 following a 91-85 loss to West Virginia that ended their sixgame winning streak in the series.
Memphis had the biggest drop of the week, falling nine places to No.10 after losing to South Florida and Tulane. Baylor tumbled six spots to No.15 following losses to Kansas State and Texas.
Duke’s 80-76 loss to Pittsburgh dropped the Blue Devils five spots to No. 17.
K-STATE WOMEN NO. 4
Kansas State notched its best ranking in 21 years when the Wildcats moved up to fourth in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll on Monday. The Wildcats, who climbed three spots, were last ranked this high in 2003.
South Carolina remained the unanimous choice at No. 1 in the poll, receiving all 35 votes from a national media panel.