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Lee Elia, a longtime baseball lifer who may be best known for his epic 1983 rant, died this week at the age of 87.
Elia played in 95 big league games and managed 538 with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. But it was after one of those games when Elia gave perhaps one of the most legendary rants of all time.
On April 29, 1983, Elia was the skipper for the Cubs when they dropped to 5-14 with a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Wrigley Field crowd of 9,391 threw garbage at Keith Moreland and Larry Bowa as the Cubs made their way to the clubhouse.
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Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia signals the bullpen to send in a right-hander during a game against the Atlanta Braves in Chicago, May 19, 1983. (AP Photo/Fred Jewel, File)
Elia responded with an expletive-filled rant against Cubs fans that included at least 40 f-bombs.
“F–k those f—ing fans who come out here and say they’re Cub fans that are supposed to be behind you ripping every f—ing thing you do,” Elia began. “I’ll tell you one f—ing thing, I hope we get f—ing hotter than s—, just to stuff it up them 3,000 f—ing people that show up every f—ing day, because if they’re the real Chicago f—ing fans, they can kiss my f—ing a– right downtown.”
That was just the beginning of the three-plus-minute tirade that was caught on a lone microphone in the clubhouse that day.
As part of his remarks, he declared that 85% of the world was working, while “the other 15% come out here.” Back then, there were no lights at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs played only day games at home.
Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia reflects on the day’s events after an evening press conference in then-Cubs general manager Dallas Green’s office, apologizing for his outburst. (Chuck Berman/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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“‘They’re really, really behind you around here.’ My f—ing a–,” Elia continued. “What the f— am I supposed to do, go out there and let my f—ing players get destroyed every day and be quiet about it? For the f—ing nickel-dime people that show up? The motherf—ers don’t even work. That’s why they’re out at the f—ing game. They oughta go out and get a f—ing job and find out what it’s like to go out and earn a f—ing living.”
Elia, a Philadelphia native, had a 238-300 record in four seasons as a big league manager, two with the Cubs and two with the Phillies. He was a shortstop during his playing career, batting .203 with three homers and 25 RBIs in 95 games with the White Sox and Cubs. He was the third base coach when the Phillies won the 1980 World Series.
Seattle Mariners bench coach Lee Elia (55) before the game against the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The Athletics defeated the Mariners 2-0. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
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Elia also worked for the Seattle Mariners from 1993-97, 2001-02 and in 2008 as a hitting coach, bench coach and special assistant to the field manager.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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