Joe West ejects Andre Dawson and Wrigley erupts, a breakdown

Dec 9, 2025 205.5K views 10:52

What Happened

Aaron Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs steps to the plate against the Cincinnati Reds in the bottom of the ninth inning. The game is tied 2-2 in this pivotal matchup between NL Central rivals. Veteran umpire Joe West calls a borderline pitch a strike, eliciting an immediate protest from Dawson. "The ball breaks around the plate," Dawson argues. "Come on, you've got to make the call when it's crossing." West firmly stands by his decision, retorting, "You saw it and you waited to make sure." The heated exchange quickly escalates, and West ejects the irate Dawson from the game. Cubs manager Jim Essian rushes out to defend his star player, but he's too late - Dawson has already been tossed. "What the hell? It wasn't a strike. Come on," Dawson yells at West. The umpire smugly responds, "You want me to call it before it gets there? You saw it and you waited to make sure." Dawson's temper boils over as he unleashes a profanity-laced tirade, reportedly calling West a "fucking pot belly racist bitch." Enraged, Dawson begins throwing bats onto the field, with the Wrigley faithful joining in by pelting West with various objects. "You let him stay right here. You did you want him ejected? You didn't even come help your dude out. Come on," West chastises Essian, before narrowly avoiding getting hit by a flying helmet and bat. As the chaotic scene unfolds, Dawson continues to express his fury, yelling, "Why the fuck did YOU THROW ME OUT FOR?" West simply stands there, grinning and reveling in the pandemonium he has created. By the end, an estimated 18 bats have been hurled onto the field, with the crowd joining in the melee. "I don't think the fans do with their own thing. I I don't what what I do doesn't hinder what they do. I think there's a pretty good correlation that they saw the player throwing stuff on the field and they're like, 'Yeah, it's July 23rd, 1991, and I want to throw stuff on the field. Why not?'" Dawson later reflects on the incident.

Full Transcript

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A nice, beautiful summer night in

Chicago. The year is 1991.

Cubs and the Reds are playing. Hi mom.

Hi dad. Hi mom. The kids are loving it.

We got John Goodman in the booth with