1953 HEADLINE: Ernie Banks Hits First Home Run Of His Major League Career

1953 HEADLINE:  Ernie Banks Hits First Home Run Of His Major League Career

On this day in 1953, Ernie Banks hit the first home run of his career as a professional baseball player.

Nobody knew what was in store for Banks’ future, but ‘Mr. Cub’ certainly left a lasting impression on the city of Chicago and the sport of baseball.

Home Run #1 was just the start.  The start of 512 career home runs.  The start of 11 All-star appearances.  The start of 1 Gold Glove award.  And the start of 2 Most Valuable Player awards.  Home Run #1 started it all…

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary Mr. Ernie Banks!!!

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps Triple Threads – Base

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps Triple Threads – Base

This card of Ernie Banks was one of many modern cards featuring legends of the game that came to me through a huge donation from a ’30-YOC’ loyal reader, Jared.

The card, from the 2013 Topps Triple Threads baseball card set, features Mr. Cub in his sweet White, wool Cubs uniform that boasts one of my favorite Cubs patches!

Have a look:

 

 

I love the patch that adorns Banks’ left shoulder.  And while Topps may not have purposely used this image to show-off that sweet Cubby Bear, they certainly got my attention.

 

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps – 1972 Topps Mini Insert

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps – 1972 Topps Mini Insert

The 1971 baseball season was the last one in Ernie Banks’ major league career.  He was featured in the 1971 Topps baseball card set, but he did not appear in the 1972 issue.

So, maybe this is what his card would have looked like if he did have a card in that set:

 

Topps oftentimes will retired players in sets the year after they retire, and I am not sure of the reason.  Maybe the cards are already designed? Maybe the checklists are already complete?  Maybe they do it as a tribute to the player?

Either way, we can ‘Thank’ Topps for giving us a card of Mr. Banks using their 1972 baseball card design.  The card pictured above comes from the 2013 Flagship set, it is a mini and obviously it employs the sweet, and legendary 1972 design.

Thank you, Topps!

Ernie Banks 2013 Panini Hometown Heroes – Chicago

Ernie Banks 2013 Panini Hometown Heroes – Chicago

Normally, the lack of team names and logos on baseball cards does not bother me.  Certainly not as much as I know it does others.

But, this card definitely stands out – way too much blank space!!

Between the blank cap on Banks’ head, the blank jersey he is wearing, and the empty space in the upper-right corner of the card, this one is pretty bad…

 

NEXT.

Ernie Banks 2014 Topps Archives

Ernie Banks 2014 Topps Archives

Here’s another single from the lot I recently bought.  This one is of Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks and it is from the 2014 Topps Archives set.

 

I like it.  I like the 1973 Topps design.  And I like the contrast of the large image showing Banks in a posed batting stance and then the small, silhouette of a player making a play at shortstop is the perfect complement.

Banks’ career ended when he was 40 years old and at the conclusion of the 1971 baseball season.  While he was always a younger-looking guy, he looks to be in is late twenties or early thirties in this shot.  If I had to complain about anything about this baseball card, it would be that Topps could have chosen an image of an older Ernie Banks to make the ’73 theme work better with the image.

 

1970 HEADLINE: Ernie Banks Joins The ‘500 Home Runs Club’

1970 HEADLINE: Ernie Banks Joins The ‘500 Home Runs Club’

On this day in 1970, Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks crushed his 500th career home run!!!

Ranking at #21 on the All-time home run list with 521 career round-trippers, Banks’ ranking continues to drop as more players overtake his career achievement of 521. It’s quite possible that Banks will drop 2 to 3 more spots over the course of the next 4-5 seasons, but one thing is for sure – ERNIE BANKS’ STATUS WILL NEVER FADE AMONGST CUBS FANS!!!

Banks personifies what Cubbie Baseball is all about, and he is without a doubt the most popular baseball player to ever call Wrigley Field home.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Banks!! We Still Love You!!!!

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps Allen & Ginter – Base

Ernie Banks 2013 Topps Allen & Ginter – Base

There were a lot of things that I liked about the 2013 release of Allen & Ginter – and I am not a ‘Ginter Guy’.

Of all of the prior A&G releases, I think that the 2013 set brought us the nicest framing.  The muted Blue works well with a lot of team color schemes, and when the portrait features a Blue background, like this one of Ernie Banks, it ties the whole design together very nicely.

As a vintage collector that loves his legendary Cubs players, this is a match made in heaven.

Want proof?

Check out the card of Ernie Banks from the 2013 set!

 

It is the Blue that ties it all together without being ‘too Blue’.  The framing is perfect, the background is just right, and the wording under the player’s image is the icing on the cake.

PERFECT!!!

Happy Birthday To ‘Mr. Cub’ Ernie Banks!!!

Happy Birthday To ‘Mr. Cub’ Ernie Banks!!!

Amazingly, Ernie Banks is turning 83 years old today.

I have seen recent pictures of Ernie at various Cubs and baseball related events and he looks great!!  Still has the famous smile of his!!!

‘Mr. Cub’ will always be the most popular and respected player from the Chicago Cubs organization.  His 19-seasons of perfection in a Cubs uniform still remain as fond and vibrant memories for the ‘North Siders’.  Banks’ 512 career home runs and season after season of MVP caliber baseball earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 1977 on the first ballot.

Unfortunately Banks never played 1 single inning, never batted 1 time, never took the field 1 time in the playoffs.  For someone who means so much the sport of baseball and specifically to the city of Chicago, it would have been great to see Ernie Banks play when the games counted the most.

Happy Birthday Mr. Banks!!

1977 HEADLINE: Ernie Banks Elected To Baseball Hall Of Fame

1977 HEADLINE: Ernie Banks Elected To Baseball Hall Of Fame

‘Mr. Cub’ will always be the most popular and respected player from the Chicago Cubs organization. His 19-seasons of perfection in a Cubs uniform still remain as fond and vibrant memories for the ‘North Siders’. Banks’ 512 career home runs and season after season of MVP caliber baseball earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 1977 on the first ballot.

Ernie Banks was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot. He received 321 of 383 votes cast.

1971 HEADLINE: Cubs’ Banks Set To Retire!

1971 HEADLINE: Cubs’ Banks Set To Retire!

On this day in 1971 Chicago Cubs great, Ernie Banks, retired from major league baseball after 19 seasons.

‘Mr. Cub’ will always be the most popular and respected player from the Chicago Cubs organization.  His 19-seasons of perfection in a Cubs uniform still remain as fond and vibrant memories for the ‘North Siders’.  Banks’ 512 career home runs and season after season of MVP caliber baseball earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 1977 on the first ballot.

Unfortunately Banks never played 1 single inning, never batted 1 time, never took the field 1 time in the playoffs.  For someone that means so much the sport of baseball and specifically to the city of Chicago, it would have been great to see Ernie Banks play when the games counted the most!