CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Cubs paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Ernie Banks before the major league opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, and they did it in a way that would have been impossible until now.
They showed him circling the bases following his 500th home run and unveiling his statue outside Wrigley Field.
It was all there Sunday night in high definition on their new videoboard in left field, the biggest addition to date in an overhaul that figures to transform the ballpark and surroundings over the next few years.
“They’re going put a lot of history stuff up there, what happened in Wrigley Field, and it just gives the guys a little bit more information (about) playing with the Chicago Cubs that they can tell their kids,” said Hall of Famer Billy Williams, Banks’ teammate. “It’s just bringing baseball a little closer together.”
To Williams, it’s about more than instant replays, expanded statistics, trivia and advertising. It’s about connecting with the past while giving the 101-year-old ballpark a modern upgrade.