Lee Elia, Former Cubs Manager with Iconic Rant, Dead at 87
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, JUL 10 – Lee Elia managed the Cubs and Phillies, served as a Phillies coach during their 1980 championship, and was affiliated with 10 organizations over his 50-year baseball career.
- Lee Elia, former manager of the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, died at age 87 in July 2025.
- Elia played parts of two major league seasons as a shortstop with the White Sox in 1966 and Cubs in 1968 before coaching and managing.
- He managed the Cubs from 1982 to 1983 and the Phillies from 1987 to 1988, compiling a 238-300 managerial record overall.
- Elia became well known for a profane three-minute rant directed at Cubs fans after a loss on April 29, 1983, declaring “85% of the world is working and the other 15 come out here.”
- The Phillies and Mariners manager Dan Wilson mourned Elia as a great baseball man who was like a father and taught players how to succeed in the majors.
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49 Articles
Baseball Icon Lee Elia Dies at 86 – Phillies & Cubs Fans Honor His Legacy – LIVE TRIBUTES
South Philadelphia (19148) – Lee Elia, the fiery and beloved former manager of the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, has died at the age of 86. Known for his passionate style and unforgettable 1983 press-room rant, Elia was a staple of old-school baseball leadership. The Phillies confirmed he passed away peacefully surrounded by family. Fans have already begun leaving flowers and jerseys outside Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia. El…
Iconic MLB Manager, World Series Champion Dead At 87
Athletes Who Unfortunately Passed Away In 2024 (1:45) A beloved former baseball player, coach and manager who also won a World Series has sadly passed away.On Wednesday, former Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies manager Lee Elia passed away. He was 87 years old and just one week away from his birthday.Born in Philadelphia, Elia spent the better part of 40 years in Major League Baseball. He played two years for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Wh…
OutKick Mourns The Loss Of Lee Elia
We lost a true legend, a man that OutKick could rally around, with the death of MLB lifer Lee Elia this week. Elia was 87. Yes, this man was known for the epic rant that has turned into OutKick's Lee Elia Day tradition around here, but over the course of the last couple of months, during numerous conversations I've had with his daughter, Tana Elia, I learned how much Lee was one of us. He got up every day, worked his ass off to put food on the t…
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