After 50 years, so long, Cubs

I have stopped drinking the "Blue Kool-Aid." I have said goodbye to my beloved Cubs. After 50 years I have had enough. Yes, I was sitting in the crowd on Opening Day in '69. I vividly remember that home run that Willie Smith hit in the 11th inning to win that opener. We were finally on our way. It had been 61 years since the last World Series win and it was magical.

Santo, Kessinger, Beckert and Banks. Williams, Phillips and Al Spangler in the outfield. Fergie, Holtzman, Bill Hands, and the "Vulture" Phil Reagan in the bullpen. There was no stopping them. At 15, I carried that transistor radio everywhere I went. Every pitch, every hit, every out, every win, I remember like it was yesterday.

Then the inevitable, the black cat at Shea. Willie Stargell hitting that two-out homer at Wrigley to beat them in September, and those METS! It slipped away and the pain has lasted a lifetime. 1984 would be different but after two wins, those three losses to the Padres, '89 more of the same. But then it was 2004, and we were five outs away from the World Series. After the botched double-play ball I knew what was coming. So now after 50 years I have had enough. I am done with them. I haven't watched a game in the last two years, haven't been to Wrigley since '08. I just can't take it anymore. After 8,100 games, after spending almost 30,000 hours of my life fretting, waiting, hoping, weeping, I have had enough.

Goodbye, my beloved Cubs, I have had the best two summers these last two years not caring about you.

Oh and, by the way, when it does happen I am coming back. See, I have paid my dues. Paid in full.

Phil Grana Jr.

Mount Prospect