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Lee Elia Passes Away

By Anthony Franco | July 10, 2025 at 10:05pm CDT

Former MLB player and manager Lee Elia passed away on Wednesday, according to announcements from multiple teams. He was 87.

A Philadelphia native, Elia signed with his hometown club in 1959 after attending the University of Delaware. He had an unremarkable MLB playing career. He briefly reached the majors with the Cubs and White Sox and hit .203 in 95 games. He moved into coaching after spending parts of 12 seasons in the minor leagues. Elia had a lengthy and successful run in coaching.

He won a World Series with the Phillies as third base coach under skipper Dallas Green in 1980. Green was hired by the Cubs as general manager going into the ’82 season. He hired Elia to manage in Chicago. Elia held the position for a season and a half, leading the team to a 127-158 record before being fired. His tenure was most memorable for an expletive-laden tirade ripping Cubs fans who’d expressed displeasure with the team’s slow start to the ’83 campaign.

Elia got another brief managerial opportunity later in the decade. He returned to Philly and managed the club to a 111-142 record during parts of the 1987-88 seasons. While Elia never managed in the majors after that, he worked in scouting and various coaching capacities for the Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Devil Rays, Braves and Orioles in a career that ran well into the 2010s. MLBTR joins others throughout the game in sending condolences to Elia’s family, loved ones, and many friends and former colleagues around baseball.

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View Comments (29)
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29 Comments

  1. olmtiant

    2 months ago

    Rip Lee…. Your rant will always bring smiles to us in Chicago…

    14
    Reply
    • Bucket Number Six

      2 months ago

      m.youtube.com/watch?v=uiVVbYK9HXw

      4
      Reply
      • Tigers3232

        1 month ago

        How so?? He asked for the scrutiny to be directed at him and not his players. Thats anything but a bish boy.

        RIP Lee

        14
        Reply
      • Monsox

        1 month ago

        You must be one a dem…”youngens”

        6
        Reply
      • Rick Wilkins

        1 month ago

        He called a man who just died a “bish boy”. Not sure if young, but definitely stupid.

        10
        Reply
      • Boo-Urns

        1 month ago

        “bish boy”

        What are you, twelve years old?

        Reply
    • ronnyalton

      1 month ago

      He was the best of us

      Reply
    • Sheep8

      1 month ago

      Thank you Les Grobstein for immortalizing this rant..you ad the foresight to bring your recorder that day!

      2
      Reply
  2. Lyman Bostock

    2 months ago

    Can someone please make a separate page for the obituaries?

    2
    Reply
    • Rick Wilkins

      2 months ago

      You know you don’t have to read them, right? What a stupid post.

      19
      Reply
      • troy

        2 months ago

        Clearly they’re part of the 15 percent

        6
        Reply
      • Lyman Bostock

        1 month ago

        I don’t read them, that’s kinda my point lol

        Reply
    • VegasMoved

      2 months ago

      No, this is the appropriate place. It’s just a rumor that he’s dead.

      2
      Reply
  3. Rick Wilkins

    2 months ago

    The Rant. RIP Skip. Always one of our guys.

    8
    Reply
  4. 10centBeerNight

    2 months ago

    RIP Good Sir – from ham & eggers everywhere

    2
    Reply
  5. Eric Olson 2

    2 months ago

    RIP Coach Elia. You made us smile with your rant. For this former 14 year old, I memorized your words and mannerisms and entertained my classmates…I even got a pair of dentition slips from the dean when he heard my rant. So “print it! “. Thank you coach Elia, you are forever in the hearts of Cub fans everywhere!

    16
    Reply
  6. Ichirosasaki

    2 months ago

    Him and Lou pinella were the best of the Mariners in the 90s. I was just in grade school but I knew he was important to our success. Pretty sure Lou relied on him. RIP Lee!

    2
    Reply
  7. mohoney

    2 months ago

    RIP to the most accurate descriptor of Cub fans who ever lived.

    5
    Reply
  8. Unclemike1526

    2 months ago

    If you live in Chicago you’ve seen Lee Elias rant against Cub Fans. It was a classic. A lot of Cub fans are long suffering and delusional to a point but Lee went off like a Howitzer on us. RIP you crazy man. You probably needed the rest.

    2
    Reply
  9. davidk1979

    2 months ago

    Rest in peace, king. As great and as memorable as Mora and Dennis Green’s rants were this is the goat rant

    5
    Reply
  10. 8791Slegna

    2 months ago

    Still think Lasorda’s rants about Kingman’s performance or Bevacqua (who couldn’t hit water if he fell out of boat) were better.

    Reply
  11. jorge78

    2 months ago

    RIP Lee…..

    1
    Reply
  12. believeitornot

    1 month ago

    I wonder how Hal McRae will be remembered. Help me out, guys.

    Reply
    • mike127

      1 month ago

      His telephone ripping and throwing incident was nothing compared to Elia’s rant.

      But—Elia didn’t quite ever take out a guy at second like McRae.

      McRae will be remembered for his base running on potential double play balls.

      Reply
  13. casualfan

    1 month ago

    I grew up in LA in the 80’s and heard about the rant but never actually listened to it.
    That was epic.
    RIP

    2
    Reply
  14. This one belongs to the Reds

    1 month ago

    Lee Elia. Remember him as a manager and of course the classic rant. Managers were more memorable in those days, more personalities. RIP sir.

    3
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      1 month ago

      Still get a few “memorable” managers here and there, but nowhere near like it was even 20 years ago.

      2
      Reply
  15. TML Redux

    1 month ago

    The ultimate baseball man – lifer!

    Side note: went to the same Philly high school (Olney) as Del Ennis and Al Spangler (Cards and Astros).

    Reply
  16. harrycarey

    1 month ago

    Great Picture, long time Philadelphia organization guy, more famous as a Cub but someone decided he will be know as a Brave.

    Reply

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