Lee Elia’s rant: Who was he and what did he say that shocked baseball and made radio history

Lee Elia’s rant: On April 29, 1983, Cubs manager Lee Elia delivered a profanity-filled rant blasting fans after a tough 4-3 loss to the Dodgers. Captured on tape by reporter Les Grobstein, the tirade became one of the most infamous moments in sports history. Elia later apologized, but the recording remains a legendary outburst still talked about today.

On April 29, 1983, after a crushing 4-3 loss to the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs manager Lee Elia unleashed a profanity-filled tirade against his own team’s fans — a moment that became one of the most infamous rants in sports history, thanks to one reporter’s tape recorder.

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Lee Elia’s Rant: The day a manager snapped

In front of fewer than 10,000 fans at Wrigley Field, the struggling Cubs lost their 14th game of the season. After the final out, fans booed loudly, some even threw stale beer at players. That frustration was nothing compared to what happened next.

Inside the Cubs clubhouse, manager Lee Elia exploded in a three-minute, profanity-laced tirade targeting the team’s fans. With more than 50 curse words — including 30 F-bombs — Elia’s rant wasn’t just angry, it was historic.

Only a few reporters were present, but one of them, WSCR radio’s Les Grobstein, had his tape recorder running. That recording would soon become legendary, circulating through the sports world and beyond.

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Who was Lee Elia?

Elia, a Philadelphia native, had a brief MLB career, playing shortstop in 95 games combined for the White Sox and Cubs. After a short stint in insurance — a job he disliked — he returned to baseball as a minor-league coach.

By 1980, he was coaching third base for the World Series-winning Phillies. In 1981, he followed general manager Dallas Green to the Cubs, becoming the team’s manager later that year.

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A rough start to 1983

The Cubs’ season had started poorly. The home opener was rained out. Then came a five-game losing streak. One of Elia’s pitchers, Dickie Noles, was arrested in a bar fight. And by April 29, the Cubs were 5-14.

That day, they blew a late lead to the Dodgers, with a wild pitch from Lee Smith allowing the go-ahead run. After a weak strikeout by pinch-hitter Scot Thompson ended the game, fans booed again — this time dousing players with insults and beer.

The breaking point

After the game, most reporters went to the Dodgers’ clubhouse. Only four remained for Elia’s presser. Grobstein asked a simple question: “Tough way to lose a game, huh?” That opened the floodgates.

Elia ripped into the fans, questioning their loyalty and suggesting most of them didn’t even work day jobs. He raged about the players’ efforts being disrespected and accused fans of being quick to judge without understanding the grind.

He later explained that it wasn’t meant as an attack on all Cubs fans, just the ones throwing things at his players.

That night, Elia apologized during a press conference in the general manager’s office. But the damage, and the legacy, had already been set. His words would be replayed for decades and even today, the full unedited audio is just a quick Google search away.

Though Elia never managed in the big leagues again after 1983, his rant lives on as one of the most unforgettable moments in sports media — a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the frustration of a manager under fire.

Lee Elia’s rant: Here’s what he said that night

LEE ELIA: I’ll tell you one f—— thing. I hope we get f—— hotter than s— just to stuff it up them 3,000 f—— people that show up every f—— day.

Because if they’re the real Chicago f—— fans they can kiss my f—— a– right downtown and PRINT IT! They’re really, really behind you around here. My f—— a–.

What the f— am I supposed to do? Go out there and let my f—— players get destroyed every day and be quiet about it? For the f—— nickel-dime people that show up? The m———— don’t even work! That’s why they’re out at the f—— game. They ought to go out and get a f—— job and find out what it’s like to go out and earn a f—— living.

Eighty-five percent of the f—— world’s working — the other 15 come out here. A f—— playground for the c———-. Rip them m————, rip them c———- like the f—— players.

Got guys busting their f—— a– and now f—— people boo and that’s the Cubs? My f—— a–.

They talk about the great f—— support that the players get around here. I haven’t seen it this f—— yet.

The name of the game is hit the ball, catch the ball and get the f—— job done. Right now, we have more losses than we have wins.

The f—— changes that have happened in the Cub organization are multifold. All right, they don’t show up because we’re 5 and 14. And, unfortunately, that’s the criteria of them dumb 15 m———— percent to come out to day baseball. The other 85 percent are earning a living.

It’ll take more than a 5 and 13 or 5 and 14 to destroy the makeup of this club. I’ll guarantee you that.

There’s some f—— pros out there that want to f—— play this game, but you’re stuck in a f—— stigma of the f—— Dodgers and the Phillies and the Cardinals and all that cheap s—. All these m———— editorials about (Ron) Cey and f——, uh, the Philly-itis and all that s—. It’s sickening.

It’s unbelievable. It really is. It’s a disheartening f—— situation we’re in right now. 5 and 14 doesn’t negate all that work. Got 143 f—— games left.

What I’m trying to say is don’t rip them f—— guys out there — rip ME! If you want to rip somebody, rip my f—— a– but don’t rip them f—— guys cuz they’re giving everything they can give.

Once we hit that f—— groove, it’ll flow. And it will flow — the talent’s there.

I don’t know how to make it any clearer to you? I’m frustrated, I’ll guarantee I’m frustrated. It’d be different if I walked into this room every day at 8:30 and saw a bunch of guys who didn’t give a s—. They give a s— and it’s a tough National League East.