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Ernie Banks statue was long overdue
First off, let me begin by saying this note is not intended as a knock on Harry Caray. Harry was a certified baseball legend, a great announcer and an unparalleled ambassador of the game.
As great as Harry was for the Cubs and the game of baseball, it's my opinion no one should have preceded "Mr. Cub" in bronze.
For most of the 1950s and the early part of the '60s, Ernie Banks was the Cubs. He was the only bright spot on otherwise truly dismal teams. From 1957-60, no one else matched his home run total.
Not too shabby considering his contemporaries included such notables as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Eddie Matthews and Mickey Mantle.
He remains the only Cub to ever hit 500-plus home runs -- not with the aid of the pharmacist, but with lightning fast wrists that snapped that bat faster than the speed of thought.
Though us Cubs fans have been long suffering, we were truly blessed by his presence and his unsinkable, enthusiastic approach to the game. God bless Mr. Cub.
John CangerLake Zurich
Editor's note: Overdue or not, the Ernie Banks statue, by noted Lindenhurst sculptor Lou Cella, will be unveiled at Wrigley Field on Opening Day, March 31,
IHSA should look at prep recruiting
As a 65-year fan of high school sports, I am a little concerned about what I conceive as a form of high school recruiting. Especially in high school basketball, both boys and girls, where one super player can make a big difference.
I'm not saying it's a full-scale problem at this moment. But it is happening and it should be nipped in the bud. A simple solution is for the Illinois High School Association require the transfers to sit out a year.
Donald G. HamburgBuffalo Grove
Khabibulin injury called into question
Do any other Blackhawks fans smell a rat with goalie Nikolai Khabibulin mysteriously, around trade deadline, coming up with a sore knee and back?
We could've unloaded that overpriced bum for a case of vodka. Instead of the Hawks "Red Rising" motto, it should be "No more Russians."
Jeff MarkarianLake Zurich
Cubs, Sox dig deep into our pockets
The newest trend by the White Sox and Cubs of auctioning off luxury suites and bullpen seats, which drives up the costs of other seats, is bad enough.
But the Cubs exploring the idea of taxing each ticket for the overhaul of Wrigley Field, and the White Sox auctioning off tables in the Bullpen Sports Bar for the convenience of having a place to set down $7 beers and $5 hot dogs is going overboard.
What's next? Fees for trips to the bathroom to cover the water, electric hand blower and toilet paper costs? Recycling tax on all beer cups and hotdog wrappers? A charge for doing the wave for the "wear and tear" on the seats? A live music tax for singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch?
Walter BrzeskiChicago