BOSTON (AP) — Luis Tiant, the charismatic Cuban with a horseshoe mustache and a mesmerizing windup who took the Red Sox to the brink of winning the World Series and put himself on the brink of the Baseball Hall of Fame, has died. . He was 83 years old.
major league baseball announced his death In a post by X on Tuesday, the Red Sox confirmed that he died at his home in Maine.
“This is a very sad day,” Boston and California teammate Fred Lin wrote in a post on X. “He was a big-time pitcher, a funny, genuine guy who loved his family and baseball. I miss him so much.”
File – Photo of Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tian, 1974. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin, File)
With his intimidating style and iconic wiggling windup that froze batters in the box, “El Tiante” was named an All-Star three times and won four championships in 20 games. His best individual season came in 1968, when he was 21 years old, in Cleveland. -9 with 19 complete games and 9 shutouts, 4 of which were shutouts in a row. His 1.60 ERA was the best in the AL with half a century, and he finished fifth in AL Most Valuable Player voting. The award went to 31-game winner Denny McClain, who also won the league’s Cy Young Award.
These performances, along with Bob Gibson’s 1.12 ERA in the National League, gave 1968 the nickname “The Year of the Pitcher” and led to baseball lowering the pitching mound to give batters more chances. It helped me convince him. Regardless, Tiant once again won the American League ERA title with a 1.91 ERA with the Red Sox in 1972 (and lost the Cy Young Award to Gaylord Perry’s 1.92 ERA and 24 wins).
“Lewis embodies everything we love about this game: resilience, passion and an undeniable sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves,” Red Sox President Tom Warner said. he said. “But what made Lewis unforgettable was his vibrant personality. He was a talented storyteller, full of humor, honesty and undying loyalty to his teammates.” We are all deeply saddened by his death. Today we lost one of our greatest players.
The young Tiant, the son of a Negro League star, had a career record of 229 wins, 172 losses, a 3.30 ERA, and 2,416 strikeouts. He recorded 187 complete games and 47 shutouts during a 19-year career spent primarily with Cleveland and the Red Sox.
His death marks the death of baseball’s all-time hitting leader, Pete. It took place one week after Rose’s death.
Tiant shutout the Reds in Game 1, pitched 155 pitches in Game 4 for a complete game victory, and returned to the mound in Game 6, pitching eight innings. I won. The 75 series, won by Cincinnati in seven games, is often cited as the greatest series of all time.
The day was also a national showcasing of Tiant’s unique pitching technique, in which he wiggles his hands as he comes into set position and turns his back to the batter before pitching. Although this move would be imitated by generations of children in New England and across the country, Tiant himself was unique.
“Lewis had this unforgettable presence that made you feel like you were part of his world,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “He was all about his love for the game and the people around him. He was charming and had a smile that lit up Fenway Park.”
After retiring in 1982, Tiant worked as a minor league coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, and served as Nicaragua’s pitching coach at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He continued to be active with the Red Sox in spring training, appearing around Fenway Park, often signing autographs before games at the ballpark’s El Tiante Cuban Sandwich Stand.
Tiant was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, but he was not inducted into the National Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and received a high score of 30.9% of the vote in 1988, the first year on the ballot. He was also considered three times by the Veterans Affairs Committee but was rejected.
“It’s a tough day to hear of Luis Tian’s passing. A former player we all loved came to the clubhouse,” former Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis tweeted. “He always joked with his infectious laugh and said, ‘What a sick puppy!'” I will be forever grateful to have shared time with the legend. May his memory be a blessing! ”
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