'Mr. Cub' Ernie Banks laid to rest at Graceland Cemetery
FOX 32 NEWS - FOX 32 has uncovered the answer to a lingering mystery for Cubs fans - where exactly is Ernie Banks buried?
You may recall after the Cubs hall of famer died last year there was a family squabble that sealed his resting place in secrecy.
In a quiet corner of historic Graceland Cemetery, just a few blocks north of Wrigley Field, is the final resting place of the most popular Cub ever.
Ernie Banks was buried a week after his funeral in January of 2015. But the simple marker bearing his name and uniform number inside a baseball diamond was finally put into place just on Thursday.
FOX 32 ran into Cubs fan Kathy Cunningham as she was giving her brother in law a tour of Graceland.
"It's a very modest but beautiful gravestone,” she said. “It's gorgeous. And with his number on it and everything it's really very fitting. He's in a good place and resting well in a beautiful place."
But the battle over Banks' estate has been anything but restful.
After the Cubs slugger died at 83, there was a legal fight between his widow and his caretaker over a new will and the fate of Banks' body.
The funeral home filed a claim saying it didn't get paid, and Cubs' owner Tom Ricketts picked up the tab for the funeral and the gravesite.
It’s unclear who paid for the headstone, but FOX 32 has learned it's just temporary. An anonymous donor is picking up the tab for a larger and more detailed marker that will be put into place next year.
Fans taking pictures at the Banks statue outside Wrigley are happy to learn he's getting his due.
"That's great. He deserves that. He deserves that and more,” said Trudy Rutkowski.
"It's about time. It's been a long time coming. Overdue. And family strife has a tendency to do that. So glad that it's come to this,” said Leanne Pitchford.
Banks is in good company. Graceland is the resting place of many of Chicago’s most famous citizens, including William Hulbert who’s buried a short pop up away. He founded the National League in 1876 and was the Cubs first owner.
FOX 32 reached out to Banks' family for comment, but so far we have not received any response.