Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Heartwarming Family News: Cubs Star Welcomes Baby Boy Named After Ernie Banks.vc
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) has given fans another reason to cheer beyond his electric 2025 breakout season. The 23-year-old center fielder, fresh off a historic 30-30 campaign (31 HR, 35 SB) that propelled the Cubs to the playoffs, quietly welcomed his first child—a baby boy—earlier this month. In a touching nod to Cubs lore, the newborn is named after Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, the beloved “Mr. Cub” who defined Wrigley Field with his optimism and power (512 HR, two MVPs, 14 All-Star nods).
The news broke on October 20, 2025, per a heartfelt family announcement shared on social media, catching fans off guard amid the Cubs’ NLDS reflections. PCA, known for his Gold Glove defense (+15 DRS) and 4.8 WAR, kept the pregnancy private, surprising even close teammates. “From Mr. Cub to Baby Cub—the legacy lives on,” one fan tweeted, while another posted, “Pete Crow-Armstrong naming his son after Ernie Banks? That’s goosebumps-level respect.” The announcement sparked a wave of Cubs pride, with #BabyCub trending locally and fans drawing parallels to Banks’ enduring spirit.
A Personal Milestone Amid MLB Stardom
Crow-Armstrong, drafted 19th overall by the Mets in 2020 and traded to Chicago in 2021, has skyrocketed from prospect to icon. His 2025 slash (.247/.287/.481) and first All-Star nod mirrored Banks’ joyful dominance, per MLB.com. The timing feels poetic: PCA’s walk-off homer in the September 26 Brewers thriller—clinching his 30-30 club entry—echoed Banks’ 1955 debut, and now his son’s name honors that lineage.
In a statement to family and close friends, PCA shared: “Ernie wasn’t just a player—he was the heartbeat of this city. Naming our boy after him is our way of passing that fire on.” The baby’s full name, Ernie Peter Crow-Armstrong, blends family roots (PCA’s middle name is Henry, but Peter honors his actor father, Matthew John Armstrong) with Cubs immortality. PCA’s mother, Ashley Crow—famous for her role in the 1994 baseball film Little Big League—was spotted at Wrigley during the NLDS, beaming with pride.
Fan Reactions: From Goosebumps to Dynasty Talk
The reveal lit up social media, with Cubs Nation flooding timelines with nostalgia:
- “Cubs dynasty continues! PCA’s kid is already a legend. #MrCub2.0”
- “Ernie Banks would love this—hitting .247 with power and now building a legacy off the field? Pure Chicago.”
- “From PCA’s 30-30 to baby Ernie… Wrigley’s got that magic again.”
Some fans tied it to the Cubs’ 2025 surge, joking, “If this doesn’t break the curse, nothing will.” Others praised PCA’s privacy in a spotlight-heavy world, per Reddit’s r/CHICubs: “Class act—kept it low-key while carrying the team.”
PCA’s Roots: A Hollywood-to-Wrigley Journey
Born March 25, 2002, in Sherman Oaks, CA, PCA grew up with showbiz parents—father Matthew John Armstrong (credits in Supernatural, NCIS) and mother Ashley Crow (Heroes, Little Big League). Despite the glamour, PCA chose baseball, skipping Vanderbilt for a $3.4M Mets bonus. His 2022 MiLB Gold Glove and 2023 debut (caught stealing on pinch-run entry) led to his 2025 explosion, tying Sammy Sosa as the second Cub with a 30-30 season, per Baseball-Reference.
This family news adds a personal layer to PCA’s story, much like Chris Sale’s son-inspired Braves comeback or Kerry Wood’s Cubs loyalty. As the Cubs eye 2026—potentially losing Tucker but banking on PCA’s fire—the arrival of “baby Ernie” symbolizes continuity, per fan sentiment.
