Ernie Banks moved downtown Wednesday morning.
The bronze statue of the iconic Chicago baseball player who died last week at the age of 83 was moved to Daley Plaza Wednesday morning.
The move to Daley Plaza is intended to allow fans to honor and remember Mr. Cub, according to the Chicago Cubs.
"I'm glad that this is not just a memorial in his passing," said Rev. Jesse Jackson. "He loved to go out and stand by the statue and just take pictures, that was a big deal to him."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Bnks' widow were seen putting a wreath at the base of the statue as they reminisced about the impact Banks had on the city.
"Even when he was done playing the sport that he loved, he was never done engaging kids not only in sports but in their mind in what they could do," Emanuel said.
Banks was the first player in Cubs history to be honored with a statue at Wrigley Field in 2008. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977 and played for the Cubs for 19 seasons.
"Ernie Banks' legacy extends far beyond his Hall of Fame states. He was beloved by generations of people for the way he played on the field and -- more importantly -- for the kind and warm person he was off the field," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "We are bringing Ernie's statue to Daley Plaza to honor not just one of the best ballplayers of all time, but a great man who made our city proud from the day we first met him in 1953."
Banks' family attorney, Mark Bogen, announced Sunday that the Cubs player passed away after suffering from a heart attack on Friday.
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Bogen also shared another way that fans can remember Banks via a Facebook page called Ernie Banks Remembered that was created for fans to celebrate Banks' legendary life.
