Teammates Dunston, Grace reach Cubs HOF together

CHICAGO -- For starters, Shawon Dunston did not recognize the area code of the number buzzing his phone. Then when he answered, the former Cubs shortstop knew it must be a wrong number. The person on the line was telling him he was going into the Cubs Hall of Fame.

"That's not for me," Dunston said. "It's for Billy Williams, Ernie Banks. It's Ryno. It's Andre. It's Maddux. All are Hall of Famers. Now they're putting me in there?"

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Well, it was true. Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson and Greg Maddux -- players who helped define the Cubs of the 1980s and '90s -- would have their former teammate with them in the Cubs Hall of Fame. And Dunston would not be inducted alone.

During the opening ceremony of Cubs Convention on Friday, chairman Tom Ricketts announced that Dunston and fellow Cubs great Mark Grace would make up the 2023 Cubs Hall of Fame class. A ceremony will be held at Wrigley Field during the upcoming season.

Dunston was thrilled to have his old first baseman included.

"When they told me I was going in with Grace," Dunston said, "I felt a little more comfortable. And I really felt very thankful."

Standing to Dunston's right on Friday night, Grace made one thing clear about his longtime friend: "This man deserves it."

For more than a decade, Grace and Dunston helped anchor the Cubs infield. Grace arrived in 1988 and suited up for the Cubs through 2000. Dunston -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 MLB Draft -- reached Chicago in 1985 and spent 12 years with the North Siders.

Dunston was renowned for his incredible arm at shortstop, while Grace picked up four Gold Glove Awards in his time with the Cubs. Dunston certainly tested Grace's skills at time early in their careers.

"Can I tell this story?" Grace asked his friend.

Dunston buried his face in his hands and laughed.

"When he would miss me, he'd miss in the 20th row," Grace said. "I said, 'There was Tinker to Evers to Chance. And then there was Sandberg to Dunston to Addison Street.'"

About Dunston's arm, Grace said, "There's never been a gift hanging out of a right sleeve like that." But, the first baseman told Dunston early on that he needed to miss low with his throws to give Grace a chance at picking them out of the dirt.

"And I'm telling you," Grace said, "for as long as Shawon was still with the Cubs, every throw was right on the money."

In his 13 years with the Cubs, Grace hit .308 with 2,201 hits, which rank fifth in team history. He had 456 doubles, trailing only Cap Anson (529) in team annals. In fact, Grace led all Major League hitters in hits (1,754) and doubles (364) in the 1990s.

Grace was the National League Rookie of the Year runner-up in 1988, helped the Cubs to a division title in '89 and made three All-Star teams with the North Siders. In his final season with the Cubs, he had 95 walks to only 28 strikeouts in 621 plate appearances.

"Honestly, calling it an honor doesn't do it justice," Grace said of being inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame. "But to go in with him? To go in with him, it just couldn't get any better."

Dunston made two All-Star teams for the Cubs and ended his career in Chicago with more Opening Day starts (11) than any shortstop for the team since 1900. Only Don Kessinger has more innings and games at the position than Dunston for the Cubs in the past century.

Dunston said he "got numb" when he learned he would be a Cubs Hall of Famer.

"They were calling me the next Ernie Banks, which I wasn't," Dunston said. "I was trying to be, but I wasn't."

Grace chimed in, "He was really good."

"Yeah, he's in the Hall of Fame. A different one," Dunston said. "But now I'm in the Cubs Hall of Fame. it's such an honor."