Ernie was a class act through and through. He never had a chip on his shoulder even though he suffered though the same era of racism as Hank Aaron who wore it proudly.
The only happy thought I can think about now is the reunion he will enjoy with teammate Ron Santo. The 1969 and 1970 Cubs were better than a lot of teams which actually won World Series.
Former MLB pitcher Steve Stone told a story how Ernie always had something positive to say to you no matter the situation. Stone said one time while he was pitching for the Cubs, he wasn’t felling good and just got shelled in a game. When Stone was leaving the ballpark, he ran into Ernie was at the game. And Ernie walked up to him and asked, “How ya feeling?” and Stone said, “I feel terrible.” and Ernie looked at him and said, “Well, you look good.” and patted him on the back.