CHICAGO–On Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs announced plans to honor Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks by erecting a statue of his likeness prior to the start of the 2008 season.
The statue will be commissioned by the same studio which produced the Harry Caray piece at Wrigley Field and the Michael Jordan statue at the United Center, meaning the statue will most likely depict Banks rising above a person or group of people straight out of the Dripstone Wall in Prague.
Notably absent from Cubs president John McDonough’s statement about the statue was any mention of how the team plans to honor former manager Jim Essian.
Some suggestions from fans as to how to best honor Coach Essian are an Essian jersey giveaway day, painting the front of the Red Line El trains in Essian’s likeness, and changing the name of Wrigley Field to “Essian’s Madhouse.”
If you would like to suggest a way to honor Coach Essian, you can e-mail the Cubs here.

The Dripstone Wall in Prague? That sonic boom you just heard was the sound of that cultural reference buzzing over my head at the speed of sound. Rest assured that I will be on Wikipedia within seconds looking that up. Here’s my idea to celebrate Jim Essian: pick one home game per year for “Ess is for Satisfactory” Day at Wrigley Field with fake moustaches for the first 10,000 fans.
Flem, if you don’t submit that idea to the Cubs, then the terrorists have won.
I will, now and forever, refer to Wrigley Field exclusively as “Essian’s Madhouse.”
I would go to “Ess is for Satisfactory” Day just to hear the Coach sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”.
BTW, Is there any truth to the rumors that the so called Chuck Norris facts were actually written about Jim Essian?
Huh Huh! He said Erect..
I wrote in suggesting that all Cubs players should instantly change their names to Jim Essian to honor our hero.