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Never met him, but saw dozens of interview ... always the same, cordial, genuine, optimistic, grateful for being able to play the game. Maybe the best person ever for the game.

I am lucky to have gotten to meet over 50 hall of famers... He was the nicest. A true gentleman. Last time I saw him was two years ago and he seemed in excellent health.

My favorite story Orlando spring training. He is sitting in the stands with a hat that says Mr Cub and people are going right past him to wait in line to get Brett Boone's autograph. We caught eyes and just smiled.

Sadly I think the second nicest HOF was Gwynn. Good couple of years for heaven.

Let's play two....

Never, ever heard a bad word said about Ernie Banks. As a player, his numbers were impeccable.
As a man, his character and integrity, the same.
Back to back MVP's.
40 years ahead of his time in providing power from the shortstop position.
But, he won't be remembered for his numbers. Or that he never got in a World Series.
Or even that he was 'Mr. Cub'.
He'll be remembered for the phrase, "Let's play two!"
Those three words ARE Ernie Banks. A man with youthhful exuberance, no matter his age during his life.
Those three words exemplified how much he loved the game....and that he wanted a double serving, thank you.
Todays players call baseball 'A Grind'.
Ernie Banks called it fun.

Ernie retired when I was 2, so never got to see him play.
But thanks to the magic of youtube, here is his 500th home run.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GQy3c3Hutg


Let's play two. RIP

Ernie Banks was a regular at memorabilia shows as an autograph guest and I met him several times at The National and at our Chicago events. Nobody was ever nicer to fans and nobody had a brighter smile when he took pictures with those fans. He was a genuinely happy guy every time you saw him and he just loved meeting Cub fans.

Baseball has lost one of its greatest ambassadors to the sport. RIP Mr. Cub.

I was lucky enough to meet Ernie Banks on two different occasions. The first time was when I was just in high school, the second time was two years ago at Wrigley Field. Even though the two meetings were 30+ years apart, Ernie was exactly the same; he was kind, cheerful, and most importantly for me, he was present. By present, I mean he was engaged with me as a person. He looked directly at me, said a few words ( I don't remember what they were, because unlike Ernie who was living in the moment, I was so caught up in the idea of meeting Mr Cub, that I blanked out ), and shook my hand. He was just a very nice human being.

This past summer I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time. I have 10 different Cubs jerseys, including Sandberg, Williams, and others; I wore my Ernie Banks!!

I think you pay Banks the ultimate compliment when you say his behavior off of the field overshadowed his performance on it. Not very often we get to say that in a positive way. Something for us all to strive for...

I just got back from Cooperstown as we completed our 12th annual trip the week before the Super Bowl. We spent extra time at the plaque of Ernie Banks; they put up a nice little price on Ernie near his plaque. I wish I knew how to add pics to posts.