Memories of Minnie Minoso and Ernie Banks

Chicago baseball fans will certainly miss former Sox great Minnie Minoso and former Cub Hall-of-Famer Ernie Banks as Opening Day approaches.  For those outside of Chicago, the reason that these two are so greatly missed is simple - they stayed connected to the game throughout their lives.    

Both players were seen regularly at the ballpark, usually conversing with fans of all ages.  Both appeared at team-sponsored events away from the ballpark.  I remember Minoso attending the Ridge Run in Beverly one year.  Instead of signing baseballs he spent most of his time signing the race numbers of the runners.

Minoso didn't play long enough to get into a regular-issued Kellogg set, but he did manage to get into the Hispanic set.  Banks found his way into the 1970 and 1971 sets.  Banks also appeared in a set in the early 1990s.