Anthony Rizzo is a three-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner and a big reason the Cubs snapped their 108-year World Series drought. But you knew that already, right?
With no baseball games to watch, now’s a good time to brush up on your Cubs off the field trivia.
1. Rizzo adopted a dachshund puppy, Kevin, this offseason, and man, he looks like a good dog.
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2. Rizzo was diagnosed with limited state classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in April 2008. He underwent chemotherapy for six months and learned he was in remission that September.
At the time, Rizzo was a prospect in the Red Sox organization, Jon Lester was on the big league club and Theo Epstein was Boston’s general manager. Epstein arranged a meeting between Rizzo and Lester — who beat Lymphoma a year prior and helped the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series just months after.
3. With the help of his family, Rizzo founded the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation in 2012 to support pediatric cancer patients. The foundation hosted its 8th annual Walk-off For Cancer in Florida last November, raising more than $1 million for children’s cancer research.
The foundation is raising money to feed medical workers combatting COVID-19. Rizzo announced Thursday they’ve served over 800 meals to date.
4. Shortly after the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, Rizzo, Dexter Fowler, David Ross and Bill Murray made guest appearances on Saturday Night Live. And, well, it was quite raunchy.
5. Rizzo proposed to his girlfriend, Emily, in June 2017. The couple got married in December 2018.