Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks grew up in Dallas during the Depression. He was one of eleven children in his family. Banks worked in cotton fields as a boy to help his family. Banks's father, a semipro pitcher, bought him his first baseball glove. It cost $2.98, which was quite the sacrifice considering how poor the Banks family was. Banks played for 19 successful seasons with the Chicago Cubs, hitting 512 home runs and was named Most Valuable Player twice. He earned the nickname "Mr. Cub" for his solid play. Six years after the end of his career, he was voted into the Hall of Fame. Although one of his contempararies, a peer in the Hall of Fame, called Banks 'the most insincere man I ever met", Banks's love for the game was obvious. He was fond of yelling out during games "Let's play two!" His joy and awesome talent made him hugely popular among fans.