Billy Williams says series stirs memories of Santo, Banks

The Cubs playing the New York Mets can evoke many memories.

For Cubs Hall of Famer Billy Williams, the memories stirred were of the 1969 season and of a couple of departed friends and teammates: Ron Santo and Ernie Banks.

“Ronnie would enjoy the Mets being in Chicago, and he would enjoy the game,” Williams said while sitting in the dugout late Tuesday afternoon, a couple hours before the Cubs and Mets squared off in Game 3 of the National League championship series at Wrigley Field. “I don't think he would enjoy it in New York. He never did like New York. And of course Shea Stadium and the New York Mets. I think he died with that on his mind. He never liked the Mets.”

The ‘69 season was full of both love and heartbreak for the Cubs and their fans. The Cubs led the National League East most of the summer, and it looked like they were going to cruise to their first postseason appearance since 1945. But the Mets got red-hot down the stretch and erased a huge Cubs lead in the standings on their way to a world championship. “I have to think about Ernie and Santo a couple of times, because we tried so hard to bring a pennant to Chicago. And of course, we didn't do it. But I'm more happy than anything now because (today's Cubs) are a young club, they're playing good. And not only are we going to be there this year, but you can look for us in the future.”

The ‘69 Cubs were 9 games up on the Mets in mid-August but wound up finishing 8 games behind New York. However, to this day, those Cubs remain among the most popular in team history. In addition to Williams, Santo and Banks, pitchers such as Fergie Jenkins (also in attendance Tuesday) and Ken Holtzman made their marks, as did position players Glenn Beckert, Don Kessinger, Randy Hundley and Jim Hickman.

“I think the one thing is we stayed together for so many years,” Williams said. “When you look at those fun years, and we happened to be close in 1969, we made a lot of people happy. From that point on, every time we were in the city, every time we would walk around the city, a lot of people would come up to me and say, ‘That was so much fun in the ‘60s.'

“Another thing, too, is that we couldn't afford two homes. We had to live in one place, and that one place was in Chicago.”