January 23, 2015: 83-year-old Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks passed away. One of the best power hitting shortstops of the twentieth century, Banks was known for his eternal optimism. His signature, upbeat line became, "It's a beautiful day for a ballgame. Let's play two today!

"He got his start on the Kansas City Monarchs, one of the Negro leagues’ best-known clubs, before getting called up to the Cubs while many major league teams were still all white. He was the ninth player in major league history to hit 500 home runs, and was eventually given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2013.