Legal Battle Over Ryne Sandberg’s Trust

Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg’s children have taken legal action against his widow, Margaret Sandberg, over the handling of his trust. Justin Sandberg and Lindsey Sandberg accuse their stepmother of attempting to alter control of the trust overseeing Ryne’s name, image, and likeness rights. They claim she seeks to shift authority to herself, her son, and the family’s financial advisor, disrupting the arrangement Ryne Sandberg established between his second wife and biological children.

This lawsuit, filed in April in Lake County Circuit Court, was first reported by the Sun-Times on Wednesday. Attorneys Norm Finkel and Adam Hirsch, representing the siblings, have not commented, nor has Margaret Sandberg been reached for comment.

Ryne Sandberg, affectionately called “Ryno,” is remembered for the iconic “Sandberg Game” on June 23, 1984, where he hit two pivotal home runs. He won nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Slugger awards, securing his Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 2005. He later managed in baseball and died last July at 65 from metastatic prostate cancer.

Trust Dispute

Before his death, Ryne Sandberg clearly instructed that Margaret, Justin, and Lindsey would equally co-manage his name, image, and likeness rights, according to the lawsuit. He married Margaret Koehnemann in 1995 after divorcing his first wife, Cindy. In the trust, Ryne noted, “It would disappoint me if they were unable to make decisions on my NIL in a positive and collaborative manner… It is also important to me to have any project reflect positively on my legacy and my entire family.”

Posthumously, the lawsuit alleges Margaret ignored the siblings and refused to sign necessary documents to establish a trust account. She allegedly has not set up the trust, contradicting Ryne’s wishes, and presented a contested note dated July 16, supposedly amending the trust by adding her stepson and the financial advisor.

The note, claimed to be from Ryne, bore “N.I.L” and “majority rules” with five names listed for a new committee. However, the suit argues the note is “legally unenforceable” as it wasn’t delivered to Justin and Lindsey before their father’s passing, and due to Ryne’s fragile medical condition. Weeks before his death, Justin and Lindsey observed Ryne under heavy sedation and severe pain. He entered hospice care on July 20.

Legal Proceedings

The lawsuit alleges on July 16, the day of the note, Ryne was heard by his daughter in pain, screaming from his driveway. Prior to his death, he suffered short-term memory issues. The siblings seek a court declaration rendering the note invalid for the trust and mandating their stepmother to fulfill trust creation duties. A court hearing is set for July 31.