Did you know that baseball legends and first-ballot Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Nolan Ryan all share the same birthday—January 31st? Jackie Robinson, the oldest of the three, was born in 1919 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Ernie Banks was born in 1931 and joined the Hall of Fame in 1977. Nolan Ryan, born in 1947, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. Jackie Robinson and Ernie Banks faced each other during the 1954, 1955, and 1956 seasons when the Brooklyn Dodgers played against the Chicago Cubs. Ernie Banks and Nolan Ryan also met on the field twice during their careers. Their first encounter happened in September 1968 when Banks hit a home run off Ryan. The second and final meeting took place on May 3, 1969, at Wrigley Field, where Banks went 1-for-3 against Ryan. In that game, he flew out in the second inning, struck out in the fourth, and led off the seventh inning with a single, which contributed to the Cubs' 3-2 comeback victory. 👉 Let's wish Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Nolan Ryan a happy birthday! Do you have a favorite story or memory about one of these all-time greats? Photo credits: (1) - John Iacono, (2) - Doug McWilliams, (4) - Louis Requena, (5,6) - Hy Peskin ⚾️⚾️⚾️
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