CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — It was another lost Friday in another lost April in another lost Cubs season 40 years ago — until it wasn’t.
“If they’re the real Chicago f------ fans, they can kiss my f------ a-- right downtown and print it,” said former Cubs Manager Lee Elia in the most infamous interview ever conducted at Wrigley Field.
Elia teed off on Cub fans and reporters in his office after some hecklers and players came close to a brawl.
“What the f--- am I supposed to do?” Elia asked reporters. “Go out there and let my f------ players get destroyed about it and be quiet about it for the f------ nickel-dime people that show up?”
The late reporter Les Grobstein was the only scribe with a tape recorder on, and the tirade heard around the world soon went worldwide.
“85% of the f------ world’s working,” Elia said. “The other 15 come out here.”
Grobstein passed away in 2022. Now, the tape recorder used to capture that profane moment in time — and the microphone, and the tape itself — are all going up for auction through Bullock Auctioneers.
“The m------------ don’t even work,” said Elia, who kept his own job for about four more months.
There's no word on whether the recorder works, but those interested can find out beginning April 1. The bidding starts at $500.
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