Luis Tiant, Boston Red Sox pitching legend, dies at 83
BOSTON – Boston Red Sox pitching legend Luis Tiant, whose Major League Baseball career spanned 19 years, has died.
WBZ-TV's Dan Roche confirmed Tiant's death on Tuesday. A cause of death was not immediately known.
Who was Luis Tiant?
Tiant, nicknamed "El Tiante," was 83 years old.
Tiant won 229 games and had a career earned run average of 3.36. The righthander made his major league debut in 1964 with Cleveland. After pitching six years with the Indians, he spent one season with Minnesota, then eight years in Boston.
Following his tenure with the Red Sox, Tiant pitched two years with the Yankees, one in Pittsburgh, and a final campaign with the Angels.
Former Red Sox outfielder and Baseball Hall of Fame member Fred Lynn reacted to Tiant's death, calling it a "very sad day."
Tiant, who was born in Cuba, amassed four 20-win seasons and won the American League ERA title twice.
He is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame and Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame.
MLB issued a statement, saying "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Luis Tiant."
During a 2015 celebration of the 1975 Boston Red Sox, Tiant talked about his unique windup during an appearance in the NESN broadcast booth. The righthander said he first tried turning away from the hitter during his windup in 1972.
"After that, I won 172 games. It worked for me," Tiant said.
Luis Tiant Hall of Fame candidacy
Though Tiant was on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years, he was not selected by voters. He was later considered on the "Golden Era" ballot but not selected.
Pitcher Tony Perez, also born in Cuba, spoke about Tiant's impact on the region in an article published on the Baseball Hall of Fame website.
"When I was a boy growing up in Cuba, Luis Tiant was a national hero," Perez said.
In 2019, Tiant published a book called "Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back." The book describes Tiant's journey to Major League Baseball, as well as the 15 years he spent separated from his family held captive in Cuba.
