Chicago Cubs fans paid their respects to Ernie Banks after the statue of the legend was placed in a downtown plaza on Wednesday.
Fans gathered in Daley Plaza to take photos of the statue that normally stands at Wrigley Field. The statue will remain at the plaza through Saturday.
The Hall of Famer known as “Mr. Cub” died Friday night at the age of 83. The family of Banks announced Sunday that he died after suffering a heart attack.
The Cubs brought back the bronze statue of Banks, which had been removed from Wrigley Field when renovation work began on the ballpark in October. The statue had been in storage in Michigan.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, accompanied by Banks’ widow, Liz Banks, placed a wreath at the statue on Wednesday. The mayor said that while Banks has long been known as Mr. Cub, he “always will be and always has been Mr. Chicago.”
A public visitation and a memorial service for Banks will be held Friday and Saturday in Chicago.
The public visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. Friday at Fourth Presbyterian Church on East Chestnut Street. The memorial service will be at the same church, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Banks was known as Mr. Cub for his identification with only the major league club he played for during his 19-year major league career. He won the National League MVP Award in consecutive years, 1958 and 1959.
But it was his cheerful personality and his love of the game that made him such a popular player. Banks’ catch phrase, “Let’s Play Two,” reflected his desire to play a doubleheader instead of just one game.
Banks played shortstop most of his career before moving over to first base in his later years in the league. He hit .274 with 512 homers, 1,636 RBIs and 2,583 hits during his career. Despite his brilliance, Banks never played in the postseason.