Ernie Banks
Two weeks ago in church we went through the Prayers of the People as normal. After the service one of the men of the choir came up to me with a big grin on his face. "I figured you were the one who added Ernie Banks to the prayers. Thanks!"
"What gave it away?" I asked jokingly.
That choir member was the first of many folks throughout the week who thanked me for adding Mr. Cub to the list of those who had died. It wasn't because we were actually praying for a famous person who had died--we included famed theologian Marcus Borg in our prayers that day also--rather it was because of the person Ernie Banks was.
Most folks know Ernie best as Mr. Cub. He was a lifelong member of the hapless northsiders, playing 19 seasons in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. Without question he was the best shortstop of his time--some might even say of all time. His 512 homeruns, 1,636 runs batted in, and .274 lifetime batting average all rank number one among major league shortstops. He was a 14-time All Star, won the National League Most Valuable Player award twice (1958 & 1959), and was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1977. Simply put: Ernie Banks was one helluva baseball player!
But what he is most remembered for is his famous line, "What a great day for a ballgame! Let's play two!" Sure, it's a nostalgic callback to the days of true doubleheaders, when folks payed one price for two games, and you didn't have to put your kids to bed before the start of a ballgame. The line calls us back to a simpler, more serene and pastoral time. But more than that, Ernie's famous catchphrase is about a love and excitement for the game that he loved. And to hear every person tell it, he had that same excitement about life.
Everyone from sportswriters to my own father has said that when they met Ernie Banks for the first time he had that same joy in his eyes, that same genuineness about him. You knew, they said, that he loved life because he was smiling at you with that same little-kid smile that he had on his baseball cards. He didn't just wanna play two games because he loved baseball. He wanted to play two games because he loved life, he loved the smell of the grass, he loved the camaraderie of his teammates, and he loved the fans. He gave back to his community through a charitable foundation that he set up. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. Oh, and did I mention he was an ordained minister?! Simply put: Ernie Banks was one helluva human being!
Baseball has always been a road to God for me. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, once said that "the glory of God is a human being fully alive." So whenever I've been lucky enough to toe the rubber of a pitching mound or dig into a batter's box, I know that God is glorified in that thing that makes me feel most alive. Ernie Banks knew that. It's why he always wanted to play two.
Today Ernie takes his place at short with the other legends of the diamond who have gone before him. His legacy is not only that of a great player--the very face of the Chicago Cubs franchise--but one of a great man. Yes, like all of us, he had his flaws. Still, perhaps we can take a cue from Ernie and approach each day with that same joy and enthusiasm. Perhaps we can learn to smile more and give thanks for the sunshine, the grass, and all that makes us feel fully alive.
So rest in peace, Ernie. And rise in glory! It's time for you to play that second game, and the best part is that it never ends!
