Making friendly confines a little bit more friendly

May 11, 2007

It's hard to imagine anything more fitting, or overdue, than a statue of Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks outside of Wrigley Field.

For North Siders (and, admit it, for South Siders too, more than a few of you), the Hall of Famer is Mr. Cub. And that's not only because Banks was one of the greatest players the team has ever had, but also because he yields to no one in his devotion to the Cubs -- and the sport of baseball.

Finally, it appears, a Banks statue will become a reality. The Cubs have commissioned an artist to design one and have a spot in mind for it. But with the sale of the team looming, no one knows when the project will be completed. We can only hope it is soon. As youthful as Banks is, he's 76. Oh, to see him unveil himself!

As much as we enjoy the sculpture of the late Harry Caray erected eight years ago at Addison and Sheffield, and the mirthful memories it prods, we have always thought there was something a bit off about building a tribute to an announcer -- even one as larger than life as Harry -- but not the ultimate Cubs player. At a time when the image of baseball is being chipped away by the steroids scandal and soon-to-be home run king Barry Bonds' scowl, the idea of the eternally upbeat Ernie greeting fans every day at Wrigley is irresistible. Let's build two?

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