When beloved local baseball announcers die, as Ron Santo did Thursday, fans mourn as if they have lost a dear friend or a close relative.

Devoted listeners feel the loss, whether it’s for the broadcasters’ idiosyncratic, bombastic or soothing voices; their enthusiasm; the daily company they provide for three hours at a time from spring through summer; or the unifying impact they have on their communities.

Santo, who was 70, gave Cubs fans at least three major reasons to love him.

He was a terrific third baseman who has been denied election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.