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Geplaatst: 19-02-2019 03:22:09 Onderwerp: CHICAGO - As he approached the casket to pay his respects to |
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CHICAGO - As he approached the casket to pay his respects to Ernie Banks, a steady flow of memories came rushing back to Billy Williams. Nike Free Wholesale China .There were so many from their Hall of Fame careers with the Chicago Cubs and their decades of friendship. And there was plenty of reminiscing during Fridays visitation.People not only here in Chicago but people around the world recognize the type of individual he was, Williams said. Its beginning to sink in now — Ive lost a great friend, youve lost a great friend.Banks hit 512 home runs and won two NL MVP awards. But hes remembered as much for his boundless enthusiasm — despite playing on mostly losing teams — and his desire to connect with everyone he met.Fans have been placing flowers outside Wrigley Field and stopping in Daley Plaza to take photos of his statue, which normally stands outside the ballpark. The city and the Cubs took the unprecedented step of taking the statue out of storage — where it been kept while the ballpark is renovated — and putting it on public display away from its usual home.On Friday, dignitaries and fans, some pausing to snap a picture, streamed past his casket draped with a giant Banks 14 jersey and a large photo of him in a Cubs cap smiling right behind it.A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, on what would have been his 84th birthday. After that, he will take one final trip to Wrigley. The procession will go by the statue before heading north past the ballparks famed marquee at the corner of Clark and Addison.Chairman Tom Ricketts said the Cubs will do everything we can to honour Banks and dedicate the season to him, although he did not have any details. He said they are still finalizing plans.Baseballs lost a great icon, Hall of Fame teammate Fergie Jenkins said.Jenkins talked about Banks love of day games and carpooling with him and Williams from the South Side to Wrigley. He also mentioned the nickname he gave Banks.Forget Mr. Cub or Mr. Sunshine. To Jenkins, Banks was AM and FM.He was like a radio. You couldnt turn him off, Jenkins said.Williams recalled babysitting Banks children and thanked them for lending me your father that many years. He said he tried to call Banks a few days before he died but was unable to reach him. When he got the news, it hit hard.It was hard to believe at that time, Williams said. I went to sleep. And then when I woke up that morning, I said, This is a dream. This is a dream. This individual, he made a lot of people happy. He was always joyous, and to wind up with a heart attack, it was really something.When I got the word, I was upstairs. I remember putting the phone on the bed and just putting my head on the bed and just thinking about the times we had through the years.One of Williams favourite memories was when Banks called to say he was going to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The ceremony at the White House was in November 2013 and Banks wanted his friend to attend.It was one of the moments we shared, Williams said. He was so joyous about it. I think back and I said, I was with Ernie for some of his greatest moments, and I really enjoyed that. Hes a guy that I will always — I will always — talk about, enjoy being his friend.Banks was not afraid to take on bigger issues, whether he was running for Chicago alderman in the 1960s or riding a Cubs float at Chicagos gay pride parade in recent years.People who did not really know Banks felt like they did.Longtime Cubs fan Trudie Acheatel recalled how he would walk around the ballpark talking to fans after he retired.He was so nice to us fans, said Acheatel, wearing a Banks jersey, plus a Cubs hat with two of his baseball cards and a pin in a protective plastic envelope attached. Ernie was such a wonderful gentleman.Whether he was talking to a teammate or a fan, Banks seemed more interested in learning about the other person than he was in discussing himself.In that sense, he was tough to crack. But he always found a way to connect, just like a great hitter.Ricketts saw it before his family purchased the Cubs. He met Banks at corporate events, and one thing struck him.When you do a speaking engagement, you have a contract. It says show up at this time, leave at this time, no autographs. Ernie would never leave. He would stay until the very last person got everything they wanted. He was just special that way. Cheap Nike Free China Wholesale . -- Brad Gushue of St. Wholesale Nike Free .She struggled with a hacking cough, she was sick, and she twice celebrated too early, but she held her composure in a 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory on Saturday.On her third match point, she let her racket go before hearing a let call to what she thought was an ace. http://www.wholesalenikefree.com/ . Rodriguez, who has steadfastly denied using banned substances while with the New York Yankees, made the decision nearly four weeks after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz largely upheld the discipline issued last summer by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. "I think its a good move for him," former Commissioner Fay Vincent said.MINSK, Belarus -- Ben Scrivens will start in goal for Team Canada against Finland today in the quarterfinals of the world hockey championship. You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 12:45pm et/9:45am pt. Scrivens beat out James Reimer for the No. 1 goaltender job after they split games during the preliminary round. "Tight decision, both of them played well," coach Dave Tippett said Thursday. "Just hes the guy we decided on." Scrivens won all three of his starts at his first international tournament for Canada, putting up a 1.31 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage, second only to Kevin Lalande of Belarus, an Ottawa native. Reimer lost the opener to France in a shootout, won his next three starts and had a 2.20 GAA and .911 save percentage. Tippett hinted earlier in the week at Scrivens being the likely choice after Reimer started against Norway. Canadas coach mentioned the difficult schedule of four games in six days, and Scrivens not facing Norway gave him a chance to be fresh for Finland. Scrivens is now the man, barring injury or a rough outing against Finland that doesnt end Canadas tournament. Tippett said Tuesday that his quarter-final starter would likely continue in that role as long as he won. Canadas challenge, from Scrivens on out, is a Finnish team that has only six players back from the Sochi Olympics but plays a similar style. "Theyre what youd classify as a typical Finland team where work ethic is one of their strongest points," Tippett said. "(They) play well as a team, (have) good structure, dont have a lot of NHL players on it but still players that are committed to play the way Finlands identity is. Its a structured, hard, one-on-one game." Finlands three NHL players are goaltender Pekka Rinne, captain Olli Jokinen and forward Erik Haula, who was a late addition after the Minnesota Wild were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. One player back from Sochi is Petri Kontiola, who has beeen Finlands leading scorer and arguably its best player. Discount Nike Free. . But Canadas biggest concern against Finland is Rinne, whos now healthy after being out from late October until early March with a hip infection. Nashville Predators teammate Ryan Ellis said he and his Canadian teammates are more worried about keeping the puck away from Rinne behind the net and in the corners than figuring out how to score on him. Rinnes strong play (1.65 GAA, .929 save percentage) has helped a turnover-prone Finnish defence. Still, thats something Canada might be able to exploit with an aggressive forecheck. "Your whole game has got to be built on it," Tippett said. "It doesnt matter who you play, were going to play two things that we think are the strengths of our game and certainly we think forechecking is one of the strengths of our game. "The ability to play in the offensive zone, come up with loose pucks, hold pucks and play in the offensive zone is one of the traits of good, Canadian-style hockey. Whether its Finland or whoever its against, we think thats one of the strengths of our game." Canada will have its full roster for the first time in almost a week as Alex Burrows returns from a two-game absence with a leg injury. Given Jonathan Huberdeaus success on a line with Brayden Schenn and Nathan MacKinnon, Burrows is expected to be the 13th forward. "Hes a good, veteran player," Tippett said of Burrows. "We talk about hes going to see a lot of different situations. Hes played on the penalty kill for us, hes played on the power play and hes played a regular shift, so hell jump in there, hell give us a spark." Defenceman Tyler Myers, who missed Wednesdays practice with the flu, took part in Thursdays optional skate and Tippett said hes feeling much better and will play. The United States plays the Czech Republic in the early game at Chizhovka-Arena for a spot in Saturdays semifinals against the winner of Canada-Finland. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' ' |
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