From the Chicago Tribune at (
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"April 01, 2008|By Fred Mitchell
Ernie Banks' Cubs legacy was immortalized Monday with the unveiling of a statue of his likeness outside Wrigley Field. Banks said he feels "satisfied" after the unveiling of his statue Monday. With a distinguished contingent of political dignitaries and former teammates, as well as former home run champion Hank Aaron on hand, Banks was visibly moved by the honor.
"This should have happened 10 or 15 years ago," Aaron said. Banks, he added, was "the greatest ambassador for baseball, and still is a great ambassador for baseball."
The statue, by sculptor Lou Cella of Highwood, depicts "Mr. Cub" at bat with his trademark smile.
Billy Williams offered a tribute to Banks, as did Ron Santo. Ferguson Jenkins also attended the event emceed by Cubs executive Crane Kenney in a drizzle.
"Is that me?" Banks repeated as he glanced at the statue and addressed various dignitaries.
Banks, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, played his entire career with the Cubs (1953-1971). Banks talked about his parents, who raised him in Dallas. His father had just a 3rd-grade education and his mother a 6th-grade education. "But they were very wise," he said, adding that his parents taught him to be satisfied with his life.
In a voice turned raspy because of a cold, Banks referred to the statue as "a miracle" as dozens of fans lining the sidewalk near the corner of Clark and Addison began to chant "Er-nie, Er-nie!"
Peter Schaudt, who located the Banks sculpture, merged his lifelong loves of baseball and landscape architecture when he designed the new plaza at Wrigley Field. Schaudt, of Hoer Schaudt Landscape Architects in Chicago, first met Banks 37 years ago as a young boy. Shaudt's father was photo editor for the Chicago Daily News in 1971 and arranged for his son to pose with Banks at Wrigley Field. Peter previously designed the Daley Plaza and an area around Soldier Field.
More from the Chicago Tribune website:
"Ernest "Ernie" Banks, a Baseball Hall of Famer known as "Mr. Cub," was born in Dallas, Texas, on Jan. 31, 1931. He played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Chicago Cubs in 1953 for a 19-season major league career. Midway through his Cubs tenure, he switched from shortstop to first base. Though not built like a typical home run hitter, Banks used his bat speed to become a prodigious slugger. He was an 11-time All-Star, a two-time National League most valuable player and a two-time league home run leader. Though his athletic exploits were remarkable, he may have been even more beloved for his optimistic approach to the game. On sunny days, he would declare, "Let's play two!" The description of Wrigley Field as the "Friendly Confines" was popularized by Banks, and he may have coined the phrase."
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Engraved on east side of base
"Ernie Banks was inducted into
the National Baseball Hall of Fame
in Cooperstown, New York
on August 8, 1977.
Ernie's uniform number, 14,
was retired by the Cubs August 22, 1982.
Sculpted at the Rotblatt/Amrany Fine Art Studio
Artist: Lou Cella"
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Engraved on north side of base
"Hit 512 career homers with more than 40 in a season five times. Had record five grand-slams in 1955. First to be elected N.L. Most Valuable Player two successive years, 1958-59. Led league in home runs and runs batted in twice and slugging pct. once. Established records for most homers in season by shortstop (47 in 1958) and for fewest errors (12) and best fielding average (.985) by a shortstop in 1959.
National Baseball Hall of Fame Inscription"
See Ernie's Hall of Fame entry here (
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Ernie was (and still is) an icon in Chicago Cubs baseball and a constant source of joy to us kids as we watched him play in the "Friendly Confines."