Well, we've all seen the news coverage, I'm sure a lot of people heard Lee Elia on WGN radio, and everyone knows today is the 25th anniversary of the most famous postgame tirade in baseball history. For the record, I have no doubt in listening to Lee's interview, that he genuinely regrets what he said, and that the entire tirade in general was directed at a few idiots, not the entire Cubs fan base. For his full mea culpa, I refer you to the book, "Banks to Sandberg to Grace" by our pal, Carrie Muskat.
Anyway, in thinking more about this, I'm sure Lee is very grateful that if this had to happen, in happened in 1983, in the days before the Internet, and widespread cable television. Cable TV was around, of course, but I think we all agree that if this tirade had happened today, or even 10 years ago, the fallout would have been much worse because the coverage would have been so much more widespread. I'm curious, if any Cubs fans who remember this incident would enlighten me, (at six years old, I was still a year away from my first Wrigley Field experience and my initiation into Cubdom) how did this incident go over with the Wrigley crowd of that time? Not good, I'm sure, but was Elia booed at the ballpark in the days and weeks to come? Did he offer an apology through the media? Or, with the smaller crowds at Wrigley in the pre-1984 era, did it blow over somewhat quickly? Obviously any player or manager (Lou included) who said half of what Elia said would be crucified by today's Wrigley crowds, but 1983 was, I'm sure, a much different time. I do remember Elia managing the Phillies in the late 1980's, but I don't remember him being booed or heckled at all when he came to Wrigley as an opposing manager. Anyone who remembers and would like to offer their input, I would appreciate it, since we have an entire day to kill before the game tonight.