Here's a link to a 3 minute Santo movie trailer for those who never got to see him play (or for those whose memory of him is fading). I put it on mute and just watched.  Great ballplayer.

Ron Santo was one of my first favourite players, for no good reason whatsoever. I may have just liked his name, I don't know...

Anyway, Santo was diagnosed with diabetes in his teens, and was told he would probably only live to be 40 or so. He concealed the illness during much of his playing career. Methods for measuring and regulating blood sugar weren't quite as effective as they are today - Santo would take a guess at his blood sugar level based on the mood he was in, and proceed accordingly. He believed, and was probably right, that this sort of thing contributed to many of his later health problems. But he always seemed enormously pleased with the time that had been given him anyway, and as short as that was, it may have been far more than he ever expected.

And of course he was one of the 10 greatest third basemen in the history of the game.

And of course he was one of the 10 greatest third basemen in the history of the game.

One would have thought that that'd have been good enough to warrant HoF entry during his lifetime.

I have an interesting little story about him from an acquaintance of mine.  He and Harry Carey used to hotbox the announcing booth during the games and the smoke would just billow out when Harry would open the window to do the 7th inning stretch.  I thought that was hilarious.  Definitely my type of character.

Santo, Banks and Williams... I have fond memories of the 60's Cubbies. It's a shame Santo isn't already in the HOF but I'm quite sure the vet comittee will put him in and then all the voters, many who failed to vote for him can lay down the compliments.

I'm quite sure the vet comittee will put him in

Well, now that he's gone it won't cost them any money.

Santo, Banks and Williams... I have fond memories of the 60's Cubbies.

Yeah, and Fergie and Holtzman and Leo and others I can't remember.  Those were good teams; and Santo was one of the best of them.  They came soo close, for a while.  Cubs.

Speaking of hall worth.  The case of Kevin Brown is front and centre.  The aftertaste of the Yankee experience has certainly sullied an otherwise excellent career.  Is he the new Blyleven or Reuschel?

We don't need a new Blyleven until Blyleven is in.

Mick, Joe Dimino has made a good case for Reuschel over at BTF in the Hall of Merit threads.  The case basically turns on the fact that Reuschel's ERA+ of 114 actually undersells him because he was a great defender and his teams were so-so or worse.  He generally played on very poor clubs, so the W-L is not a good indication.  His Hall of Fame case is sort of a cross between the cases for Tommy John and Jim Bunning.

Or am I misreading your intent there?

Misreading intent.  Within a few years, Reuschel will be the highest WAR pitcher not in the Hall.  I haven't heard many make a case.  Would Brown be the next Blyleven-like lightning rod for the grassroots movement or would he be a forgotten man similar to Reuschel.