Some sources say
that he originated the phrase “I never met a man I didn’t like.”
Banks was quiet and unassuming. He let his bat and his glove do the
talking for him. He had an unending enthusiasm for the game of
baseball. As the legend goes, after the Cubs finished getting
stomped twice in a double-header, Ernie Banks reportedly suggested;
“let’s play three.” On numerous occasions, Banks was quoted as
having said; “It’s a beautiful day for a baseball game. Let’s play
two!”
Any picture of Ernie Banks from his playing days exudes the joy he
derived from playing the game of baseball. There are none that don’t
feature that broad, infectious smile that he has become famous for. He
was so popular, in fact, he became known as Mr. Cub. Many sources
attribute the never-say-die and “baseball is fun” attitude of the Cubs
organization directly to Ernie Banks.
Even though the Chicago Cubs’ last World Series triumph was in 1908 and
their last appearance in the World Series was in 1945 (which they
dramatically lost in a seventh game), there still exists no greater
hopeful and inspired team in MLB than Chicago’s “lovable losers”. Hope
springs eternal, as they say, and after nearly 100 years, “eternal” is
starting to live up to its reputation as being a very, very long time.
The woes of the
Cubs have been compounded over the years. They produced a
twenty-year stretch (1947-1967) of finishing in the lower half of
their division for the regular season, partly during the Ernie Banks
era.
Yet, every new season brings with it the possibility of getting to the
World Series and finally breaking the “billy goat curse”, a curse put on
Wrigley field and the Cubs during the fifth game of the 1945 World
Series. As the story goes, a local Chicago bar owner attended the game
and was allowed entrance under somewhat unusual circumstances. When
ordered to leave Wrigley field for bringing his goat with him,
reportedly a “foul smelling goat”, Billy Sianis’ curse was issued to the
effect that a World Series would never again be played in the confines
of Wrigley field.
As the myth
surrounding the validity of the curse grows with each passing
non-contention season, it has a simple and comfortable existence in
baseball, the sport that prefers urban myth, legend and superstition
to logic. In 2003, the curse was nearly broken when the Cubs matched
up with the Atlanta Braves for the National League Divisional
Series.
With a 3-game to 2 lead in the series and winning game 6 at 3-0 in the
top of the eighth inning against the Florida Marlins, the “billy goat
curse” infused itself once again. The Cubs lost game 6 and then
eventually lost game 7, which meant no chance for a World Series game to
be played at Wrigley Field. The Marlins went on to win the World Series
in 2003.
Ernie Banks never had the opportunity to play in the League Championship
Series, the World Series, or any post-season game. He did, however, take
pride in himself, and his ball-club by consistently leading the league
in many areas. Banks was an all-star every season from 1955 to 1962. He
also made the all-stars cut in 1965, 1967 and 1969. Setting an early
standard for future Iron Men, Banks played in 424 consecutive games from
the day he became a Cub, a record at the time.
His longest consecutive game streak stands at 717. He hit 40 homeruns in
1955, a record for MLB shortstops, and led the National League in homers
in 1958 with 47 over-the-fence blasts. Banks hit 5 grand slams in 1955,
and topped 100 RBIs.
He was awarded the NL Most Valuable Player in 1958 and again in 1959. A
mind-blowing accomplishment if we take into consideration the fact that
the Cubs were no where close to being in contention for winning the
division pennant. His 1959 MVP season boasted 45 homeruns and led the
League with 143 RBIs. Ernie Banks earned the NL Golden Glove award at
shortstop in 1960, and had the fewest errors in MLB. He also led the
National league in homers and RBIs that year.
Over the course of his career, Ernie Banks became the Cub’s all-time
leader in:
· Games played (2,528)
· At-bats (9,421)
· Total bases (4,706)
· Home runs (512)
Banks also established many NL records, entered into the MLB Hall of
Fame in 1977, and his number 14 was the first to be retired by the Cubs.
When finished with playing in 1971, he went on to coaching with the
Cubs. In May of 1973, when Cubs manager Whitey Lockman was ejected for
arguing a call, Banks managed the rest of the game. He was technically
the first African-American to manage in Major League Baseball.
Infused into the heart of every Cub fan (and there are many) is the
spirit and exuberance and the love for the game of baseball that was
epitomized by Ernie Banks. He brought so much more than just outstanding
performances and good statistics to the game. He did so with vigor, zest
and a capacity to enjoy the game that has incurably infected Cub fans
all over this planet.
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