CHICAGO — Hall of Fame slugger Ernie Banks, the two-time MVP who never lost his boundless enthusiasm for baseball despite years of playing on losing Chicago Cubs teams, died Friday night.

He was 83. The Cubs announced Banks’ death, but did not provide a cause.

“Mr. Cub” hit 512 home runs during his 19-year career, including five seasons with 40 or more. He was fond of saying, “It’s a great day for baseball. Let’s play two!”

That remains a catchphrase at Wrigley Field to this day.

“Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball. He was one of the greatest players of all time,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I’ve ever known.”

“Approachable, ever optimistic and kind hearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub. My family and I grieve the loss of such a great and good-hearted man, but we look forward to celebrating Ernie’s life in the days ahead.”

Though he was an 11-time All-Star from 1953-71, Banks never reached the postseason, and the Cubs finished below .500 in all but six of his seasons.

Still, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, the first year he was eligible, and selected to baseball’s All-Century team in 1999.