Ron Santo Statue

It was mu first visit to the Ron Santo statue, just across the way from his close friend Billy Williams, and it did not disappoint.  I love the fact that Ronnie is shown fielding; he was a great hitter and all three stars were excellent in the field, but the creativity of showing him at third base is worth a few points.  Besides, the prep for the throw is a great action shot.

SUNDAY POSTER

Billy at Night

Billy Williams looks different at night in his statue, too.  Without a doubt, the sculptor captured a bit more of the late 60s-early 70s with Billy's sideburns.

Billy Williams

Around the corner and down the block from the Ernie Banks statue is another Cub great, Billy Williams, still active with the ballclub well into his 70s.  From his Rookie of the Year Award in 1961 through his induction to the Hall of Fame, this man has been and is a class act.  Thanks for the memories, Billy!

After Dark

I mentioned in a previous post that I visited the Cub statues twice one recent evening.  I shared some shots of Ernie Banks taken before 5:00 PM on the way in to see the game; here are some shots of the statue after 9:00 PM and into the dark.  A different look, especially in the closeup.

Those Drumming Fingers

At the age of perhaps 11, I began to understand that great batters do not crush the bat handle in their fists.  Tight muscles are slow muscles.  Loose muscles are limber and quick.  I learned this by watching grainy black and white television baseball games.  Ernie Banks, who would be NL MVP in back-to-back seasons when I was 11 and 12, held that bat in his fingers and literally flexed them, drumming on the bat handle, as he waited for the pitch.  The fingers were the first details I looked at and there they were . . . those drumming fingers!

Wrigley Statues

I had attended the unveiling of the Ernie Banks statue at Wrigley Field, on Opening Day, 2008.  I have some photos I like of that beautiful monument to Chicago baseball.  But as I had no photos of the Billy Williams and Ron Santo statues, a recent ballpark trip included two visits to the statuary.  Here is Ernie in the soft light of early evening.