Perhaps one of the reasons Anthony Rizzo has been loved in Chicago can be traced to a story his former teammate Ian Happ told.

Happ’s father, Keith, died of brain cancer in 2015 a little more than a month after the Happ family visited Wrigley Field while Ian was a prospect. On Father’s Day 2017, Happ, a suburban Pittsburgh native and a rookie at the time, hit an emotional home run.

“Anthony and (former strength director) Tim Buss were the two guys who could not have been more happy,” Happ said. “They knew exactly what was going on. They were aware. He (Rizzo) gave me a big hug and it was really a cool moment.

“He always knew what was going on around him, regardless of what was happening with himself.”

Yes, the Cubs loved the first baseman’s hitting and fielding during his 10 years in Chicago, but Rizzo’s good-guy persona and tireless work with cancer patients resonated with fans and teammates alike.

Rizzo officially retired as a Cub on Saturday and rejoined the organization as a team ambassador. His family surrounded him as he took pregame photos at Wrigley Field. He donned a jersey that was autographed by cancer patients he has visited over the years.

Rizzo threw out a ceremonial first pitch to Happ, sang with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder and model Cindy Crawford during the seventh-inning stretch while sitting in the bleachers. Oh, and while in those bleachers, the most beloved bleacher bum almost caught rookie Moises Ballesteros’s first major-league home run.

Rizzo, 36, said his family taught him the value of making people feel welcome.

“At the end of the day, we’re human beings and this is just a game,” Rizzo said. “I remember Happer being drafted and having his dad come out to see him take BP because he was battling brain cancer. He hits the home run on Father’s Day and it’s just an emotional day. His first Father’s Day in the big leagues. His dad watching down. It was amazing.”

During Rizzo’s tenure, the Cubs won a World Series in 2016, which he said had “global impact” that is still lasting nearly a decade later.

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Rizzo was a hot prospect with the Boston Red sox and San Diego Padres before coming to the Cubs in 2012. He hit .272 with 242 home runs and 784 RBIs before he was traded to the New York Yankees in 2021. Injuries hindered his last two seasons with the Yankees, but he played five games in the 2024 World Series.

Rizzo couldn’t find the right situation in 2025 and with the birth of his son, Anthony Jr., he decided to leave the game.

“I can just wake up and do what I want,” Rizzo said. “It’s a beautiful feeling.”

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But after all these years of playing the sport, he will miss parts of it.

“The one thing I missed singlehandedly was using multiple towels after I shower,” he joked.

But he also misses the camaraderie of being on a team.

“I miss the guys,” he said. “Watching the game on TV, the game looks harder. I don’t know how people think it looks easier from TV. I’m so fresh removed from it, I know how hard it is to hit 100 (mph). Seeing guys throw that hard with the stuff they have, it’s nice knowing I don’t have to hit that anymore.”

Saturday morning started with thunder, lightning and heavy rain. The afternoon was filled with sunshine.

Rizzo thought that was fitting.

“It’s symbolic as a baseball player,” he said. “You have to go through the storm and those dark days were some of my favorite days as a baseball player of figuring out who you are as a person. You can’t appreciate the sunny days without the rainy days. I really live by that.

“Those dark days teach you and make you grow and when you have those sunny days you have a great afternoon, and you get to enjoy it all.”

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Cubs manager Craig Counsell was managing the Milwaukee Brewers and watched Rizzo from afar but was still impressed.

“He had an incredible impact on the Cubs and the city of Chicago,” Counsell said. “As I saw it, it was always Rizzo and (Javier) Baez were the heart of this thing and the engine of those Cubs teams … and I would put Jon Lester in there too. He just felt like he was impacting everything from its personality to its play on the field.

“That’s a real tribute to Riz. You don’t try to do that, it’s who you are. He made a big impact that way and you felt it from the other side.”

Close observers also admired his ability to enjoy himself.

“He’s had fun playing baseball,” Happ said. “Some of us can’t do that. We can’t have as much fun as he has. He could keep it light and have a blast while he was playing. He is a large child, and I mean that in the best way.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.