My high school debate partner, Milton Hirsch, and I were in the bleachers at Wrigley Field the day that Kenny Holtzman (now a manager in the brand-new Israeli baseball league) pitched a no-hitter. It's coming up on forty years since that moment. Milt sent me this list from his office in Miami as a reminder that we share a bond of suffering that extends beyond the tribulations of our people:

Twenty one major events that have occurred since the Chicago Cubs last laid claim to a World Series championship:

1. Radio was invented; Cubs fans got to hear their team lose.
2. TV was invented; Cubs fans got to see their team lose.
3. Baseball added 14 teams; Cubs fans get to see and hear their team lose to even more clubs.
4. George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th and 100th birthdays.
5. Haley's comet passed Earth twice.
6. Harry Caray was born....and died. Incredible, but true.
7. The NBA, NHL and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each league.
8. Man landed on the moon, as have several home runs given up by Cubs pitchers.
9. Sixteen U.S. presidents were elected.
10. There were 11 amendments added to the Constitution.
11. Prohibition was created and repealed.
12. The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, was discovered and became the subject of major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs fans hope that something that finishes on the bottom can come out on top.
13. Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.
14. Flag poles were erected on Wrigley Field roof to hold all of the team's future World Series pennants. Those flag poles have since rusted and been taken down.
15. A combination of 40 Summer and Winter Olympics have been held.
16. Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown; several thanked Cubs pitchers.
17. Bell-bottoms came in style, went out of style and came back in.
18. The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins have all won the World Series.
19. The Cubs played 14,153 regular-season games; they lost the majority of them.
20. Alaska , Arizona , Hawaii , and New Mexico were added to the Union .
21. The Cardinals have been World Series Champs 10 times.

As if that weren't enough:

1. Before this year, the last time the Cards won a World Series there was no Information Super Highway; the last time the Cubs won one, there were no highways.
2. The Cards have won one more World Series in their new stadium than the Cubs have won in theirs.