Luis Tiant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luis Tiant |
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Tiant with the Boston Red Sox in 1976
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: November 23, 1940 Marianao, Cuba |
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| Died: October 8, 2024 (aged 83) Wells, Maine, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 19, 1964, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 4, 1982, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 229–172 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.30 | ||
| Strikeouts | 2,416 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2009 | ||
Luis Clemente Tiant Vega (November 23, 1940 – October 8, 2024), known as El Tiante, was a famous Cuban Major League Baseball (MLB) right-handed starting pitcher. He played in MLB for 19 years, mostly for the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox.
Tiant had an impressive career. He won 229 games and had 2,416 strikeouts. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.30, which is very good. He completed 187 games and pitched 49 shutouts. He was chosen as an All-Star three times. He also won 20 games in four different seasons. Tiant led the American League (AL) in ERA in 1968 and 1972. He was also the AL leader in strikeouts per nine innings pitched in 1967 and in shutouts in 1966, 1968, and 1974.
He was honored in several baseball halls of fame. These include the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997. He was also inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2009, he joined the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Finally, he was added to the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2012.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Luis Tiant was the only child of Luis Tiant Sr. and Isabel Vega. His father was also a great baseball pitcher. Luis Tiant Sr. played for the Negro league's New York Cubans from 1926 to 1948. He also played in the Cuban professional league. Young Luis followed his father's path early on. He joined local Little and Juvenile baseball leagues and quickly became a star.
Playing in Cuba and Mexico
In 1957, when he was 16, Tiant was picked for the Cuban Juvenile League All-Star team. His talent caught the eye of Bobby Ávila. Ávila was a former Cleveland Indians All-Star. He was scouting for new players in Cuba. Ávila suggested Tiant to the Mexico City Tigers of the Mexican League. Tiant signed with them in 1959 for $150 a month. For the next three years, he played for the Tigers and the Havana Sugar Kings. The Sugar Kings were part of the International League.
Joining the Cleveland Indians System
In late 1961, the Cleveland Indians bought Tiant's contract for $35,000. This happened because of Ávila's recommendation. However, Fidel Castro's government in Cuba made it hard for Tiant to go home. After the Bay of Pigs invasion, tensions grew. Tiant could not see his parents for 14 years.
Tiant moved through the Indians' farm system. In 1962, he played for the Charleston Indians. In 1963, he was with the Burlington Rangers. He was one of the best pitchers in the Carolina League that year. In 1964, he played for the Portland Beavers. Tiant remembered facing racism in Charleston. But he said he had no problems in Portland. After winning 15 games and losing only 1 in Portland, he was called up to the Indians. He even pitched a no-hitter and a one-hitter in back-to-back games.
Major League Baseball Career
Cleveland Indians Years
On July 19, 1964, Tiant made his MLB debut for the Cleveland Indians. He pitched a shutout against the New York Yankees. He allowed only four hits and struck out 11 batters. He beat the Yankees' star pitcher, Whitey Ford. Tiant finished his first season with 10 wins and 4 losses. He had 105 strikeouts and a 2.83 earned run average (ERA).
In 1968, Tiant had one of the best pitching seasons ever. He led the American League in ERA (1.60). He also led in shutouts with nine, including four in a row. He allowed only 5.30 hits per nine innings. This was a team record that still stands. He also led in strikeouts per nine innings with 9.22. He finished the season with 21 wins and 9 losses. His opponents hit only .168 against him, which was a new major league record. On July 3, he struck out 19 batters in 10 innings. This set an American League record for strikeouts in a game. His 1.60 ERA in 1968 was the lowest in the AL in almost 50 years. Only Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA in the National League was better that year.
Time with the Minnesota Twins
Tiant had an injury-filled season with the Indians in 1969. He was then traded to the Minnesota Twins. In 1970, he started well with six wins. But then he broke his right shoulder blade. This injury ended his season and many thought his career. He showed some promise in spring training in 1971. However, the Twins released him.
Becoming a Boston Red Sox Legend
After being released by the Twins, the Atlanta Braves signed Tiant. He played for their Triple-A minor league team, the Richmond Braves. Here, Tiant changed his pitching style. He started turning away from home plate during his motion. This made his pitch harder to hit. Tiant said he did this because his shoulder injury made him throw slower. He would twist his body and look at second base before throwing.
He pitched well in Richmond. Then, the Boston Red Sox's farm team, the Louisville Colonels, acquired him. He was quickly called back up to the major leagues. In 1971, he struggled with a 1–7 record. But in 1972, he returned to his old form. He had a great 15–6 season. He threw six shutouts in just 19 starts. He also led the league with a 1.91 ERA. He won 20 games in 1973 and 22 games in 1974. He became known as El Tiante at Fenway Park. He was one of the most loved pitchers in Red Sox history.
In 1975, he won 18 games for the Red Sox, who won the American League Championship. He then shined in the postseason. In the playoffs, he beat the Oakland Athletics, allowing only three hits. He then started Game 1 of the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. His parents were there to watch him. They were allowed to visit from Cuba with a special visa. Tiant defeated the Reds 6–0 with a five-hit shutout.
Tiant also won Game 4 of the World Series. He threw 173 pitches in his second complete game of the series. He had a no-decision in Game 6, which is called one of the greatest games ever. It ended with a dramatic Carlton Fisk walk-off home run.
Tiant continued to play well. He went 21–12 in 1976, 12–8 in 1977, and 13–8 in 1978. He remained a fan favorite and a great pitcher for the Red Sox.
Later Career with Other Teams
After the 1978 season, Tiant signed with the New York Yankees. He had a 21–17 record over two seasons (1979–1980) in New York.
In 1981, Tiant signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He pitched in only 9 games, with a 2–5 record. He also played 21 games for the Pirates' Triple-A team.
He finished his career with the California Angels in 1982. He pitched in 6 games, with a 2–2 record.
Playing in Other Leagues
Tiant also played in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. He played there for parts of seven seasons between 1963 and 1982. He had a record of 37–24, with 29 complete games and a 2.27 ERA. He even pitched a no-hitter in 1971. He was part of the champion Leones del Caracas teams in 1966–67 and 1967–68. He was inducted into the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.
In 1989, Tiant played in the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He first signed with the Winter Haven Super Sox. He was later traded to the Gold Coast Suns. This trade was unique: he was exchanged for another player and 500 Teddy Ruxpin toy bears!
Life After Playing Baseball
After retiring from playing, Tiant became a coach. He was a pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system from 1992 to 1995. He also coached for the Chicago White Sox's farm system in 1997. During the 1996 Summer Olympics, he was the pitching coach for the Nicaraguan team.
Tiant was the head coach for the baseball team at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This was an NCAA Division III program. He coached there from 1998 to 2001.
In 2002, Tiant was the pitching coach for the Lowell Spinners. This team was a Boston Red Sox affiliate. He continued to work as a special instructor for the Red Sox.
Tiant and his former teammate Carlton Fisk threw out the first pitch. This was before Game 6 of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won the championship that game.
Personal Life and Legacy
Luis Tiant and his wife, Maria, had three children: Luis Jr., Isabel, and Daniel. In 2001, his family lived in Southborough, Massachusetts.
Tiant was known for loving cigars. He even created his own line of cigars called El Tiante. His former teammate Tommy John remembered Tiant's cigars. He said Luis would smoke long Cuban cigars on the team bus. The smoke would fill the bus. Tiant could even keep his cigar lit while taking a shower!
Tiant also appeared on the TV show Cheers. He was in an episode called "Now Pitching, Sam Malone" in 1983.
Tiant wrote two books about his life:
- El Tiante, the Luis Tiant story, written with Joe Fitzgerald, in 1976.
- Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back, written with Saul Wisnia, in 2019.
A documentary film was made about him called The Lost Son of Havana. It showed his return visit to Cuba. The film premiered in 2009 and was later acquired by ESPN Films.
Luis Tiant passed away at his home in Wells, Maine, on October 8, 2024. He was 83 years old.
