Mr. Cub
Ernie Banks, sometimes known as “Mr. Cub”, passed away yesterday at the ripe old age of 83. He is fondly remembered for quite a few things: his endlessly sunny personality, his superior play at shortstop, and his 512 home runs, which were hit back in the days when 500 was a sure ticked to the Hall of Fame. (At his retirement in 1973, he trailed only Aaron, Ruth, Mays, Frank Robinson, Killebrew, Mantle, Foxx, and Ted Williams.) Playing before free agency, he was a lifelong Cub, so he unfortunately never got to play in the postseason; during Banks’s 19-year career, the Cubbies twice finished as high as second. And while it’s sad that he’s gone now, he leaves behind only good memories, the kind nothing could spoil.
Except, of course, Twitter.
“It’s a great day for baseball. Let’s play two!’Report
It is sad that some people have to bring race into most if not all discussions.Report
Perfect.Report
Close the comments.Report
No need to close anything. Ignore the troll.Report
Mike
If you didnt want a comment then why make the post? Do you think the person that brought the racial part really added anything or just invited controversy that took away from the praise of Mr. Banks?Report
Being the first black player on the Cubs was part of Banks’s legacy. It’s a completely appropriate thing to bring up.Report
@notme So would it be inappropriate for someone to say, upon the death of Rachel Robinson, that her husband was “the first black player in MLB history. That’s how close we are to an unimaginable past in this country?”
Would it have been inappropriate for someone to write the same thing about Elston Howard, just substituting “Yankees” for “Cubs,” upon Howard’s untimely death in 1980?
Banks broke the color barrier for one of the most iconic teams in all of sports. The notion that this should be disregarded as a huge part of his legacy, and that mentioning it is evidence of people trying to bring race into “most discussions” is…fishing insane.Report
I got Banks’ autograph at a card show in Chicago sometime in the late 80s. I was a big fan, but mostly what I remember of him is that he was much nicer than Mays in the same context.Report
When he was very young, Mays had the same reputation for sunniness as Banks, but as he got older things changed, and he turned into quite a curmudgeon. The Giant that’s beloved like Banks is Willie McCovey.Report
I wonder if the lack of free agency, and consequent strong association of a fantastic player like Banks with one team, wasn’t a good thing. To be sure, players get more money these days. But even once players get married in the public’s mind to a particular team by long-term contracts and impact performances, anymore, those marriages tend to be downright disgraceful, almost certainly in no small part because of all the money.
Seriously, read the link if you don’t already know the story, and then try to imagine if either the Chicago Cubs or Ernie Banks would ever have even considered instigating that sort of a dispute. Too much of baseball today is like school on Saturday.Report
In 1937, Joe DiMaggio hit .346/.412/.673 with 46 home runs and 167 RBIs, also playing a brilliant center field. He finished a close second in the MVP voting. He made $15K, which even in those days was nothing for a player of his ability.
In 1938, DiMaggio asked for $40K, which would have made him one of the highest paid players in baseball in addition to one of the best. The Yankees offered $25K. DiMaggio held out, which was his only weapon since he was unable to offer his services to any other club, many of whom would have jumped at the chance to have a player like him at that price. The Yankees called him ungrateful, the sportswriters called him greedy, and the offer didn’t improve a dime. He eventually settled for the $25K, and got booed much of the rest of the year.
The good old days.Report