Since we're playing a doubleheader, I couldn't resist. The great Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub, NL MVP, 1958-59—and the very first of the modern, slugging shortstops, about 25 years before his time.
He could've been Mr. Yankee. Banks made his professional debut for the legendary Kansas City Monarchs, in 1950. The old Negro Leagues were about at the end of their run then, and J.L. Wilkinson, the longtime owner of the Monarchs, was trying to get in good with the Yankees' ownership. He offered Banks' contract to the Bronx team—and pretty much anyone else they wanted—for next to nothing.
Unfortunately, GM George Weiss was an inveterate racist—one who had already passed on Willie Mays. So no Ernie.
Banks averaged over 40 homers a year, 1955-1960. With him at short, the Yanks never would've lost in those years—and isn't that the whole point of baseball? The Yankees never losing? Would've been great for Banks, too, who probably would've appeared in at least 9 World Series or so, instead of being maybe the greatest player since 1900 NEVER to play in the Fall Classic.
Such are the greedy thoughts of the Yankees fan, on a two-game winning streaks!
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5 comments:
Under current MLB double-header rules, Banks' statement today would be " Lets play 1 and 5/9!"
And if George Weiss had a say, it would be, "Let's play 3/5 and 3/5!"
Ooh, good one, Platoni! Love Constitution references!
And yeah, it's amazing how racism makes idiots even out of otherwise smart people.
The Yankees should've been the first team to break the color barrier, being the best franchise in sports, and especially due to their own name. (Yankee, a term connoting someone from the north or northeastern U.S.; a Union man during the Great War Between the States.) But to their eternal shame, alas, they were not the first. They were just followers, not pioneers. And to read about the sordid history of racism within the Yankee management really puts things into perspective. With the best of the Monarchs, the Yankees could've, should've, would've been an even greater winner, as well as being leaders in social and psychological reform. Thanks for a great read, Hoss!
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