One of Chicago's Best

 On Friday Chicago, Major League Baseball and the Cubs lost one of the greatest ambassadors of the game. Ernie Banks died at the age of 83. It is no secret to regular followers of this blog that I'm a diehard St. Louis Cardinal fan. Somehow Ernie Banks like Stan Musial can cross the divide that separates Cub and Cardinal fans. Ernie was to the Cubs what Stan was to the Cardinals. He love of the game was unmatched. Even as a Cardinal fan it was tough to know that Ernie worked hard and played hard all those years in Chicago but never tasted victory in the post season. Never had the opportunity to play in the World Series. Yet, this bitter pill never soured Ernie on the game and the team he loved. He was, and always will be Mr. Cub. Ernie arrived at Wrigley Field when he was 22 years of age. He stayed for 19 seasons. He had a lifetime batting average of .274, hit 512 home runs and played in 14 all star games. When he started playing for the Cubs in 1953 he was the first black player in franchise history. Ernie hit 40 or more home runs each year from 1955 to 1960 all of which came when he was playing shortstop. No other National League shortstop has had one season with 40 plus home runs. Ernie had four consecutive seasons from 1957 to 1960 in which he hit 40 0r more home runs. Neither Hank Aaron or Willie Mays ever had three straight seasons with 40 home runs. Ernie won the National League MVP award in 1958 and 1959 despite the fact the Cubs finished a combined 64 games out of first place. If you wonder how good he was with the bat, Ernie is the only player to have multiple home run games against Warren Spahn and Sandy Koufax. He is the Cubs leader in games played (2,528) and extra base hits (1,009). He was a first ballot Hall of Famer and the only inductee in 1977 with 83.8% of the vote.

So Cub fans I am sorry for your loss. Baseball in Chicago has lost one of the greats of the game. It seems sad as we watch an era past into history. Players like Ernie and Stan just don't exist any more. Very few, if any, players stay with one team throughout their career. If they do I cannot think of one at this time that has done so with the class that marked the careers of these two greats. Baseball is a better game because of them. Ernie, I hope tonight somewhere, somehow there is a glove in your hand, a bat in the rack and the opportunity to stand in the warm sun and play two.