His brother's brief but illustrious baseball career with the Chicago Cubs, though 40 years in the past, has been a door-opener for Elder Keith Hubbs.
Elder Hubbs and his wife, Sister Roxie Hubbs, never anticipated a call to serve in Chicago when they made themselves available for missionary service. But when the call came, a thought crossed Elder Hubbs' mind.
He dug out some of younger brother Ken's baseball memorabilia from a closet and packed it along to the Windy City where Ken stormed onto the Cubs' scene in 1962. In his first full season, Ken set Major League records as a second baseman for most games without an error (78) and most defensive chances without an error (418). The first rookie ever to win a Gold Glove Award for defensive excellence, he tacked on a .260 batting average to claim the National League Rookie of the Year Award that season.
But as important as his feats on the field were, Elder Hubbs said during a telephone interview, Ken was also respected in Chicago for the life he lived. Ken eagerly talked to others about the Church and exhibited the standards he was taught while growing up in an LDS home in Southern California. Elder Hubbs said his younger brother always took all the time needed to sign autographs for young Cubs fans.
Tragically, Ken Hubbs' life was cut short when the airplane he was piloting crashed near Provo, Utah, in February 1964.
The feelings of the people of Chicago were summed up in a written tribute by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley that was read at Ken's funeral: "Ken Hubbs had the affection and respect of all of Chicago. There isn't a man in Chicago who wouldn't have been proud to have him as a son. His great humility and fine sportsmanship won him a place in the hearts of the nation."
Now Elder Hubbs truly believes that the mission he and his wife are serving is completing the groundwork Ken established during his abbreviated time in the city on the shores of Lake Michigan.
"I'm convinced Kenny had something to do with us coming to Chicago," Elder Hubbs said. "One person after another we meet respected him so much. They just thought of him as a special person. Kenny was using his membership in the Church wisely while he was a member of the Cubs."
Shortly after he and his wife arrived at their Wrigleyville apartment in the Illinois Chicago North Mission, Elder Hubbs opened the muslin ball bag he had packed on impulse. He reported that he was surprised to find a baseball from the game when Ken broke the Major League fielding record and also a photo of Cubs third baseman Ron Santo presenting the ball to Ken at home plate after the game. On the back of the photo was written, "September 2, 1962, Ken Hubbs breaks Major League record." Elder Hubbs said he couldn't recall ever seeing the ball or photo before.
On a hunch, the senior missionary called the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., and left a message. His call was returned and a great interest in the memorabilia was expressed. He told his mother back in California about the Hall of Fame contact and she remembered still having the baseball glove Ken used while playing for the Cubs.
Arrangements were made and Elder Hubbs was able to present the items to Ted Spencer of the Hall of Fame who was in Chicago setting up an exhibit for the FanFest held in conjunction with July's Major League All-Star Game in the city. The memorabilia was displayed during the FanFest and then taken to Cooperstown to be placed in the Hall of Fame.
The presentation by Elder Hubbs to Mr. Spencer led to television and newspaper interviews that gave Elder Hubbs a lot of attention throughout the city. Several of the media reports included the fact he and his wife are serving a Church mission. Because of the media coverage, people began recognizing Elder and Sister Hubbs and speaking to them about the coverage.
"It's an easy conversation piece in Chicago," said Elder Hubbs, an athlete himself who was a running back for BYU in the 1950s. "Kenny has made it easy for us to have something to talk about."
Elder and Sister Hubbs were well-acquainted with Ken's popularity in the area around his hometown of Colton, Calif. That's where he excelled as an athlete and as a student and as a friend. That's where he had perfect attendance at early morning seminary for four years.
After Ken's death, the people in the Colton area were eager to find ways to preserve the memory of his commendable life. There is a Ken Hubbs Foundation set up by businessmen and service organizations. The gym at the high school where he was student body president is named to his memory and the youth baseball league there bears his name.
But Elder and Sister Hubbs never dreamed his popularity was so strong and enduring in Chicago where he played just two full seasons for the Cubs. "How do they remember an athlete from that long ago?" Elder Hubbs asked.
One day, Elder and Sister Hubbs were out viewing residential gardens when they were invited to look at one on a parking garage. They struck up conversations with some of the other visitors and Elder Hubbs said he gave one woman who was wearing a Cubs shirt a pass-along card. She accepted it graciously and he asked her if she remembered his brother. After glancing at his name tag, "She said, 'Kenny?' " Elder Hubbs said. "I said, 'I'm his brother.' She went nuts. She was so excited; she was such a fan of Kenny's."
And the Ken Hubbs story continues to develop, opening doors for his kindred in their missionary service.
E-mail: ghill@desnews.com
