'Mr. Cub' pays Peoria a visit

PEORIA, Ill. -- Sometimes, when you're in the presence of greatness, you can feel it. When the legendary Ernie Banks walks into a room, you can hear it.

"I've got a girlfriend named Gloria who lives in Peoria!" sang the ageless Banks as he danced in front of a room full of star-struck reporters.

Known to fans as "Mr. Cub" for his 19-year career with the Chicago Cubs' organization, Banks was visiting O'Brien Field on Tuesday as a guest of Merrill Lynch to watch the Peoria Chiefs.

Just like his playing days 50 years ago, Banks had his audience captivated. Not a year of aging seemed to wear on the 76-year-old Hall of Famer. His words were full of life, accented by a wide arrange of gesticulations as he spoke.

"This is the media?" he asked with his arms whaling by his sides.

"Yeah, we're here to talk to you," a reporter, not sensing his sarcasm, replied.

"Me?" Banks responded with a wide grin, his hands pointing to himself. "Why me?"

Instead of sitting behind the media table, Banks performed in front of it, walking up to reporters, shaking their hands and asking them how they're doing. When he finally took his seat for questions, his joyous spirit seeped into each of his responses.

"I used to come down here all the time and watch the Caterpillar basketball games," Banks said. "[The Chiefs] have produced a lot of talent for the Cubs -- Greg Maddux, Mark Grace. You all give inspiration to players to rise to the top. It's easy to see why you have developed so many great players. It's just a wonderful place to play."

Banks has deep roots in Peoria. He is a longtime friend of Pete Vonachen, who bought the Chiefs twice when they looked like they were in danger of moving. And, of course, he knows a thing or two about Chiefs manager Ryne Sandberg.

Though they played in different eras, both Hall of Famers are synonymous with the Cubbies. Only four players' jerseys have been retired throughout the organization's storied 131-year history. Banks' and Sandberg's were two of them.

"I'm just so happy to see Ryne doing so well here," Banks said. "He is quite a guy."

And while it may have come as a surprise to fans that Sandberg would be managing the Chiefs in 2007, Banks could tell just from his conversations with him that he had what it took to be as successful in the dugout as he was in the infield.

"I spent some time sitting in the stands [at Wrigley Field] last year with Ryno," Banks said. "He knew what to do in every situation. When to bunt, when to hit, when to steal. I said to him, 'Why don't you coach?' and he looked at me and said, 'One day I will.'"

Banks was also asked what he thought about former National League Rookie of the Year Kerry Wood, who was scheduled to pitch an inning for the Chiefs on Tuesday for a rehab assignment.

"If Kerry Wood pitches, you're going to see a really good fastball," he said. "It's amazing to me to see how good these players are [today]."

During his illustrious career, Banks hit 512 home runs, was a 14-time All-Star and a two-time National League MVP. Those numbers were good enough to get him inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1977, but he said he doubts his skills would translate to today's game.

"I'd hit a lot less [home runs]" he said. "The pitchers today can throw the ball hard, and they're pretty hard to hit. You gotta be real quick, have a different swing. I had a big loop in my swing when I came up."

In a career full of memories and personal achievements, the only thing Banks was missing was a World Series. He played 2,528 games without reaching the postseason, more than any other Major Leaguer in history. But that hasn't stopped him from thinking that every year could be the Cubs' year.

"We haven't won the World Series since 1908," Banks said. "That's not a long time, is it? We could win this year. How would you like to see a World Series at Wrigley Field? It could be this year. I'm not a prophet, but it could be."

Then Banks began to reveal the origins of one of baseball's most hallowed catch phrases.

It was an agonizingly hot July day at Wrigley Field, some 50 years ago, he recalled. The game had just ended and all of the players were miserable from the heat and wanted to hurry up and get home. That's when Banks entered the clubhouse -- full of energy and oblivious to his surroundings -- and yelled, "Let's play two!"

And on this day in Peoria, with a living legend in your presence, you almost wish they would.