A week before his 84th birthday, Ernie Banks passed away Friday.  Nicknamed Mr. Cub, Banks, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977, played his entire 19 year career with the Cubs, earning back-to-back MVP honors in 1958 and 1959.  When he retired following the 1971 season, he ranked 9th all-time in home runs, with 512.

Never seen without a smile on his face, Banks became a team ambassador after his playing days.  He unexpectedly missed last weekend’s Cub Convention, which led to speculation that he must be ill.  I never had the opportunity to meet the man, which is a shame since, by all accounts, he was twice the man that he was a player.

As work continues on the renovation of Wrigley Field, installing video screens for the first time, it is somewhat ironic that one of the first things to be shown on those screen will be a tribute to the player who poularized the building’s nickname as the Friendly Confines.

RIP Ernie Banks.