Chicago Cubs: Top five most memorable ejections of all-time

Chicago Cubs: A combination of fiery players and umpires with big egos is a great recipe for some colorful ejections. Here’s a look back at some of the best.

A lot of things can get a crowd at a baseball game fired up, one of those things is an ejection of a player and/or coach by one of the umpires. The Chicago Cubs faithful has been treated to some very memorable ones over the years. Sometimes they end with hats being kicked, bats being thrown, or even Gatorade coolers being smashed.

Since there are so many ejections for each team every year, it can be difficult to keep track of the best ones. However some are so memorable they stand the test of time. To umpires, it is another day at the office, while to fans it can be an added treat to their baseball viewing experience.

So what are five of the best Cubs ejections over the years? Well it is very subjective and it is truly difficult to make a list, but we came up with this one. Keep in mind that the ejections on this list include those that resulted in player/coach confrontations with umpires, so fights between players do not count. So no, the players ejected in the infamous Cubs-White Sox 2006 brawl is not included.

Chicago Cubs: Not surprising to see Joe West being involved in a colorful ejection.

The 1991 Cubs were a pretty forgettable squad as they went 77-83 and missed the playoff by plenty. It saw the end of Don Zimmer‘s managerial tenure in Chicago early in the season with Jim Essian eventually taking over. However July 23, 1991 was a night that gave a very “blah” season something entertaining.

That night the Cubs were taking on the defending champion Cincinnati Reds. With the Cubs up in the seventh inning, future Hall of Famer Andre Dawson stepped up to the plate. Dawson saw a 2-2 pitch low and away get called for a third strike by home plate umpire Joe West. Dawson was furious as he threw his arms up and began barking at West. While being held back by a teammate, Dawson began barking even louder, and wouldn’t you know West threw him out.

“Mount St. Dawson” as WGN sports reporter Dan Roan referred to him as slammed his bat and helmet down screaming all sorts of profanity toward West. While still fuming as he went back to the dugout, Essian came out of the dugout and he was also tossed. The best was yet to come.

Dawson, now back in the dugout, decided to send one more message of displeasure by grabbing the bats on the rack and throwing them all onto the field. The crowd roared as the bats flew gracefully into the air and onto the grass. As West began walking towards the dugout…Dawson threw another pair of bats on the field as he screamed at him. You can watch that ejection here.

Dawson said in the postgame interview he would look back and laugh at it.

Chicago Cubs: Joe Maddon had every right to be mad at this one.

The most recent incident on this list took place in the 2017 postseason when the Cubs faced the Dodgers in the NLCS. It was Game 4 and the Cubs were looking to stay alive in the series which they were down 3-0. Like the previous ejection on this list it took place late in a close game.

While clinging to a 3-2 lead, closer Wade Davis was going for the multi-inning save. With two out and a runner on he faced veteran Curtis Granderson. On a 2-2 pitch Granderson swung and missed at a Davis breaker to end the inning … or at least that is what it looked like and should have happened. After he swung, Granderson and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pleaded to umpire Jim Wolf that he foul-tipped it. Despite replay showing he clearly did not, the umpires met up and Wolf called it a foul ball.

A shower of boos from the Wrigley faithful were raining down onto the field as Joe Maddon stormed out of the dugout. Yelling words like, “That’s up!” and pointing to the replay on the big video board asking how on Earth they missed a call like that. As Maddon continued to rant he was thrown out.

“That can’t happen. The process was horrible – If Granderson hits the next pitch out you know I might come running out of the clubhouse in my jock strap,” he told the media in the postgame.

Luckily Davis struck out Granderson on the next pitch and it ended up not hurting. The umpires eventually admitted their mistake and it was over. Why did this make the list? It was a big missed call in a big spot with a playoff game on the line and it got a great Maddon quote in the postgame presser.

Chicago Cubs: The five-game set between the Cubs and Cardinals at Wrigley Field in 2003 had a bit of everything.

In a crucial and rare five-game series between the Cubs and Cardinals, tempers flared. It even involved Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa barking at each other from each dugout. On the evening of September 2nd, the series was in its third game after the Cubs won the first two. With the Cardinals leading 2-0 in the seventh, Matt Morris loaded the bags with two outs and Moises Alou at the plate.

Alou hit a rocket down the left field line right at the white chalk, and it was called foul by umpire Jay Klemm. The Cubs could not believe it and neither could the fans. Alou would eventually fly out and the inning ended. As the TV broadcast went to commercial, pandemonium ensued when the bullpen got involved.

Cubs reliever Antonio Alfonseca came charging out toward Klemm and shoved him in fury. As that happened Alou began getting into the face of one of the other umpires and barking loudly in his face. Kenny Lofton had to come and hold Alou back as veins were bulging out of his face as he screamed. Fans in the bleachers began throwing debris onto the field as both Alou and Alfonseca were tossed. This would end up being the one and only loss for the Cubs that series.

Chicago Cubs: There are few managers in recent MLB history more known for getting tossed than “Sweet Lou” Piniella.

It was a crazy ride to the postseason for the 2007 Chicago Cubs. As many fans remember, they started off very slow and eventually caught fire. This spark could arguably be traced back to June 2nd, 2007 at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lost this game, but what happened in the eighth inning that afternoon lit a fire under the butts of the North Siders.

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Facing the Atlanta Braves the Cubs trailed 4-3 in the eighth with Angel Pegan on second base with nobody out representing the tying run. A pitch that bounced off Braves catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia which sent Pegan running for third. It looked like Pegan would make it to third, but Saltalamacchia threw a strike to Yunel Escobar and he was called out on a very close play by umpire Mark Wegner. Pegan and coach Mike Quade expressed their displeasure to Wegner as Lou Piniella emerged from the dugout.

Piniella stormed toward Wegner, slammed his hat on the ground and began screaming right into the face of the much smaller umpire. Piniella then began kicking dirt onto Wegner’s shoes as umpire Bruce Froemming walked over to try to take control of the situation. Lou just got even angrier and kicked his hat like he was Bears great Robbie Gould kicking a football. The umpires tried to shove Piniella away as he continued to scream with his face bright red and veins bulging out.

“There is is, number one. The first ejection as a Cubs manager,” said Len Kasper, the team’s play-by-play announcer.

Piniella was eventually suspended several games for his display, but it was awesome and well worth it. After this loss the Cubs would go 63-46 after starting 22-31 and would win the NL Central.

As time goes on we will get many more great ejections, and they might top some of these. But no matter what these ejections will always be remembered by fans.