Ernie Banks, Hall of Famer, and legendary Mr. Cub, passed away Friday just eight days shy of his 84th birthday. Banks was the first African American player in Cubs history, made an immediate impact in a short stint in 1953, and came in second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1954, his first full season in the big leagues. He spent his entire career in Chicago and from every interview conducted and article written, it's possible he was the nicest man on the planet. He also might have been baseball's biggest fan, known for his catchphrase "it's a beautiful day for a ballgame—let's play two."
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Banks, a two-time MVP who finished his 19-year career in 1971 with 512 home runs and a 122 OPS+, was scouted in 1950 by Hugh Wise while he was playing in the Negro League for the Kansas City Monarchs. Wise checked in again in 1953 after Banks served two years in the military and reported that he was ready to play right away. Some highlights of the report include scouting's weird obsession with proportionality, Banks' lithe, angular legs, and a "no outstanding weaknesses" notation in the player weakness category. Imagine getting the equivalent of an "N/A" in the weaknesses portion of your annual review.
Banks passed away in Chicago and his family will hold a press conference Sunday.