Thunderbird Theme of the Week - Ernie Banks
Banks ended his HOF induction speech with his famous catchphrase:
"We've got the setting – sunshine, fresh air, the team behind us. So let's play two!"
Ernie Banks was an American professional baseball player who starred in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs between 1953 and 1971. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.
During his first game for the Cubs, Banks received a visit from Jackie Robinson that influenced his quiet presence in baseball. Robinson told Banks, "Ernie, I'm glad to see you're up here so now just listen and learn ... For years, I didn't talk and learned a lot about people".
Said Banks, "My philosophy about race relations is that I'm the man and I'll set my own patterns in life. I don't rely on anyone else's opinions. I look at a man as a human being; I don't care about his color. Some people feel that because you are black you will never be treated fairly, and that you should voice your opinions, be militant about them. I don't feel this way. You can't convince a fool against his will ... If a man doesn't like me because I'm black, that's fine. I'll just go elsewhere, but I'm not going to let him change my life."
Banks was active in the Chicago community during and after his tenure with the Cubs. He founded a charitable organization and became the first black Ford Motor Company dealer in the United States. In 2013, Banks was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution to sports.