The game of baseball lost an ambassador, a legend and a friend on Friday evening as “Mr. Cub”, Ernie Banks passed away at the age of 83.

Known for his love of baseball, his love for the fans, especially in his adopted hometown of Chicago and his love for life, Banks enthusiasm and spirit for the game was unmatched.

His unbridled joyfulness, positive attitude and pure love for the game made him a role model and led to the widely-famous catchphrase we’ve all come to know and love, “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame, let’s play two!”

(Below: Ernie throwing out the first pitch before the Under Armour All-America Game in 2009.)

The 14-time All-Star played his entire career with the Chicago Cubs from 1953 to 1971, hitting 512 career home runs and winning the National League MVP award in 1958 and 1959.

As the Under Armour All-America Game became a fixture at Wrigley Field in the last few years, a place where Banks played all of his home games, he spent time lending his support to the rising young athletes.

His positive energy brought great joy to the players who participated in the game in both 2009 and 2011, and their appreciation for a baseball icon and a man with an incredible amount of humility will never be forgotten.

From all of us at Baseball Factory, we want to thank Ernie for his contribution to the game we love. He taught us all that you can view the game from the eyes of a child no matter what age and to always dream big. We will continue to uphold the mantra of #LetsPlayTwo for our players who love the game just as much as Mr. Banks did.

The Wrigley Field marquee pays tribute to Mr. Cub on this somber night. pic.twitter.com/OxwtXxkHt4

— MLB (@MLB) January 24, 2015

MLB.com’s coverage of Ernie Banks’s passing can be found here.