Former Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur pays tribute to Ryne Sandberg with painting

Former Chicago Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur paid homage to squad icon Ryne Sandberg via a unsocial means: art.

Since retiring, Szczur has built up a pursuing connected Instagram (125,000 followers) and TikTok (19,200 followers) posting, among different things, videos of himself painting. His astir caller task was a tribute to Sandberg, a Hall of Fame Cubs infielder who died connected Monday astatine 65 years old.

"Ryne Sandberg wasn't conscionable a shot legend," Szczur wrote successful the post's caption connected Instagram. "He was a quiescent leader, a existent professional, and 1 of the greats we ALL looked up to. Grateful for everything helium gave this crippled and each of america who loved it. Sharing clip with Ryne connected and disconnected the tract are memories I'll ne'er forget. Rest successful peace, Ryno."

The video of Szczur creating the representation shows the erstwhile Major Leaguer incorporating a fig of baseball-themed methods into his process, including hitting cups of overgarment disconnected a batting tee and throwing overgarment overhand onto the canvas.

Sandberg spent 15 of his 16 MLB seasons with Chicago aft being traded to the Cubs by the Philadelphia Phillies up of the 1982 season. He would spell connected to amass 10 All-Star nods and 9 Gold Gloves portion successful the Windy City, winning National League MVP successful 1984.

Szczur played lone 4 large league seasons successful Chicago, but his clip with the enactment was memorable for different crushed -- helium was portion of the 2016 Cubs squad that ended the team's 108-year World Series drought.