RIP Ernie Banks - Page 2

swoboda · 01-24-2015, 09:41 PM

Sad news indeed, I was lucky to have seen him play in person several times.

Cubs need to do something special to honor him.

I suggest a double header first homestand.

MrHaroldG · 01-25-2015, 12:36 AM

Let's play two—and let's win this World Series for Ernie!

Goody · 01-25-2015, 01:50 AM

I always knew the name but not much about him beyond that he was a legend of the sport. Must mean something. Would like to see highlights of his play so I'll try to look it up.

Goody · 01-25-2015, 01:51 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQL-F61pg78

HomerOne · 02-01-2015, 03:40 PM

You know that someone is really special and unique when they can play for the Chicago Cubs their entire career and be so identifable with that organization to the point of being known as "Mr. Cub" and yet so many St. Louis Cardinals fans from around the nation are mourning his passing while paying their respects to the man.

Being a Cubs fan isn't easy and hasn't been easy for the last 70 years. There was a World Series in 1945 shortly after the end of WWII in which Chicago got defeated by the Detroit Tigers. Then, a little over a quarter of a century later, those same Cubs went on an amazing run that was thwarted by an unlikely team that turned out to be even more amazing or amazin', the New York Mets. So miraculous was the Mets season in 1969 that Carl Reiner even used it as a joke in his 1977 movie "Oh God!" when George Burns as God referred to it as His last miracle. "Before that", he said, "you'd have to go back to the Red Sea".

15 years later in 1984, those same Chicago Cubs were on the precipice of yet another World Series. Ernie Banks threw out the opening pitch of Game 1 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field versus the San Diego Padres. The Cubs killed the Padres that day 10-0 and won Game 2 the next day to take a 2-0 lead heading back to San Diego. It appeared as if Chicago was FINALLY going to remove the monkey or goat off their back, but once again the baseball gods denied them a trip to the World Series yet again.

5 years later, another playoff team for the Cubs and yet another elimination, this time from the San Francisco Giants who would go on to be swept by the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Chicago and their fans would have to wait almost 10 more years before another playoff when they just barely clinched the Wild Card in a season when they lost Harry Caray, witnessed Kerry Wood strike out 20 and Sammy Sosa break Roger Maris's home run record. Sadly, once again, they were knocked out of the playoffs, swept by an admittedly superior Atlanta Braves team.

Chicago came back again to the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008, but once again they were denied a trip to the World Series. Since that time, they've struggled to put together a winning season, let alone one for a playoff. However, the one constant that has always been there for the Cubs and Cubs fans has been Ernie Banks. Ernie was the brightest light that shined longer and brighter than any star in the Chicago Cubs firmament. And, now, sadly, that light has been turned off forever with his passing last weekend. It comes on the heels of what appears to be the renaissance of the Chicago Cubs ballclub and a splendid offseason in which they hired arguably one of the greatest managers in the game, acquired one of the best pitchers in the game and, today, now have what many consider to be the best farm system in the game.

Ernie Banks was always there for the Cubs through the good, the bad and the ugly. And, yes, Cubs fans, he's still going to be there. His spirit will most definitely be there when they go back to the World Series and especially when they win it. In fact, many people have been asking for the past week how Chicago should honor Ernie Banks. To me, it's simple: win the World Series. Ernie was well-known for saying "Let's play two!" Well, why not let's win two? And not just win the World Series, but win it with the type of class, character, confidence and cheerfulness that embodied Mr. Cub his entire life.

As I sit here and think about the Cubs going back to the playoffs, I smile when I envision those once near-misses and epic defeats now becoming unlikely heroics and grand victories. I grin like a schoolboy when I imagine the spirit of Ernie Banks giving us some good karma for once and turning the tides of the past that led so many of us to heartbreak and making the wind blow a little bit further out for our hitters and a little bit in for our pitchers. I ponder what it'll be like to witness plays that used to often go against the Cubs now go our way, not unlike the 2004 Boston Red Sox in their quest for a championship.

Of course, Boston has its own story to tell and so does Chicago. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank each and every one of the baseball fans and non-baseball fans this past week who have paid their respects and offerend condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Ernie Banks and Chicago Cubs fans everywhere. It really means a lot, especially coming from rival St. Louis Cardinals fans, who next to the Cubs fans, are the classiest fans in baseball. This hasn't been an easy week for many of us, but then, nothing is ever easy for the Chicago Cubs. Spring is just around the corner and there's no better medicine for fans this winter than the arrival of baseball. I look forward to being there. I'll be there. We'll be there. And, yes, Ernie will be there, too.

01-24-2015, 09:41 PM	#21
swoboda All Star Starter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Guarding The Line Posts: 1,220	Sad news indeed, I was lucky to have seen him play in person several times. Cubs need to do something special to honor him. I suggest a double header first homestand. __________________ "...If you want to look ahead to the bottom of the ninth, the Mets will be sending up Buddy Harrelson, Jerry Buchek , and Don Bosch, we'll be right back after this word from Rheingold Beer" The late great Lindsey Nelson

01-25-2015, 12:36 AM	#22
MrHaroldG Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 381	Let's play two—and let's win this World Series for Ernie! __________________ I take the expression "If you're scoring at home" literally. I do score at home.

01-25-2015, 01:50 AM	#23
Goody Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Korea Posts: 3,530	I always knew the name but not much about him beyond that he was a legend of the sport. Must mean something. Would like to see highlights of his play so I'll try to look it up.

01-25-2015, 01:51 AM	#24
Goody Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Korea Posts: 3,530	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQL-F61pg78

02-01-2015, 03:40 PM	#25
HomerOne Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: USA Posts: 42	You know that someone is really special and unique when they can play for the Chicago Cubs their entire career and be so identifable with that organization to the point of being known as "Mr. Cub" and yet so many St. Louis Cardinals fans from around the nation are mourning his passing while paying their respects to the man. Being a Cubs fan isn't easy and hasn't been easy for the last 70 years. There was a World Series in 1945 shortly after the end of WWII in which Chicago got defeated by the Detroit Tigers. Then, a little over a quarter of a century later, those same Cubs went on an amazing run that was thwarted by an unlikely team that turned out to be even more amazing or amazin', the New York Mets. So miraculous was the Mets season in 1969 that Carl Reiner even used it as a joke in his 1977 movie "Oh God!" when George Burns as God referred to it as His last miracle. "Before that", he said, "you'd have to go back to the Red Sea". 15 years later in 1984, those same Chicago Cubs were on the precipice of yet another World Series. Ernie Banks threw out the opening pitch of Game 1 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field versus the San Diego Padres. The Cubs killed the Padres that day 10-0 and won Game 2 the next day to take a 2-0 lead heading back to San Diego. It appeared as if Chicago was FINALLY going to remove the monkey or goat off their back, but once again the baseball gods denied them a trip to the World Series yet again. 5 years later, another playoff team for the Cubs and yet another elimination, this time from the San Francisco Giants who would go on to be swept by the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Chicago and their fans would have to wait almost 10 more years before another playoff when they just barely clinched the Wild Card in a season when they lost Harry Caray, witnessed Kerry Wood strike out 20 and Sammy Sosa break Roger Maris's home run record. Sadly, once again, they were knocked out of the playoffs, swept by an admittedly superior Atlanta Braves team. Chicago came back again to the playoffs in back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008, but once again they were denied a trip to the World Series. Since that time, they've struggled to put together a winning season, let alone one for a playoff. However, the one constant that has always been there for the Cubs and Cubs fans has been Ernie Banks. Ernie was the brightest light that shined longer and brighter than any star in the Chicago Cubs firmament. And, now, sadly, that light has been turned off forever with his passing last weekend. It comes on the heels of what appears to be the renaissance of the Chicago Cubs ballclub and a splendid offseason in which they hired arguably one of the greatest managers in the game, acquired one of the best pitchers in the game and, today, now have what many consider to be the best farm system in the game. Ernie Banks was always there for the Cubs through the good, the bad and the ugly. And, yes, Cubs fans, he's still going to be there. His spirit will most definitely be there when they go back to the World Series and especially when they win it. In fact, many people have been asking for the past week how Chicago should honor Ernie Banks. To me, it's simple: win the World Series. Ernie was well-known for saying "Let's play two!" Well, why not let's win two? And not just win the World Series, but win it with the type of class, character, confidence and cheerfulness that embodied Mr. Cub his entire life. As I sit here and think about the Cubs going back to the playoffs, I smile when I envision those once near-misses and epic defeats now becoming unlikely heroics and grand victories. I grin like a schoolboy when I imagine the spirit of Ernie Banks giving us some good karma for once and turning the tides of the past that led so many of us to heartbreak and making the wind blow a little bit further out for our hitters and a little bit in for our pitchers. I ponder what it'll be like to witness plays that used to often go against the Cubs now go our way, not unlike the 2004 Boston Red Sox in their quest for a championship. Of course, Boston has its own story to tell and so does Chicago. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank each and every one of the baseball fans and non-baseball fans this past week who have paid their respects and offerend condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Ernie Banks and Chicago Cubs fans everywhere. It really means a lot, especially coming from rival St. Louis Cardinals fans, who next to the Cubs fans, are the classiest fans in baseball. This hasn't been an easy week for many of us, but then, nothing is ever easy for the Chicago Cubs. Spring is just around the corner and there's no better medicine for fans this winter than the arrival of baseball. I look forward to being there. I'll be there. We'll be there. And, yes, Ernie will be there, too.