Former Boston Red Sox pitcher, Luis Tiant, has passed away at the age of 83 on Tuesday as confirmed by Major League Baseball in a prepared statement.
Red Sox principal owner John Henry released the following statement after news of his passing broke: “Luis had the kind of unforgettable presence that made you feel like you were part of his world,” Henry said in a statement. “He was a pitcher with incredible talent, accomplishing so much with a style uniquely his own. But what truly set Luis apart was his zest for life, embracing every moment with an infectious spirit, even in the face of his many challenges. He channeled everything into his love for the game and the people around him. He was magnetic and had a smile that could light up Fenway Park. Luis was truly one-of-a-kind and all of us at the Red Sox will miss him.”
Tiant was a dominant pitcher during his playing days. So much so that he, along with Bob Gibson, were driving factors in Major League Baseball lowering the height of the pitchers mound to give batters a better chance at making contact with the ball.
With a 229-172 career record, Tiant amassed a 1.19 WHIP, 3.30 ERA, and struck out 2,416 batters over the course of his 19 year professional career. Boston, whom he spent 8 seasons with, was quick to induct him into the Red Sox hall of fame following his retirement.
However, Cooperstown eluded the Cuban righty, as he managed to garner only 30.9% of the required votes during his years of eligibility. He was also considered on the “Golden Era” ballot, but failed to receive enough votes to be inducted by the committee.
A 3x All-Star, and 2x AL ERA leader (1968 & 1972), Tiant took to coaching following his retirement. The former Cleveland prospect briefly spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers in their farm system, working with pitching prospects in the 90’s. He then served as the pitching coach for the Nicaraguan team at the 1996 Olympics, before becoming the head coach for Savannah College’s baseball team from 1998-2001.
In 2002 he rejoined the Red Sox organization as a pitching coach for Class A Lowell Spinners, and has been a “special assignment instructor” for the club ever since.
Tiant is survived by his wife Maria, and three children Luis Jr., Isabel, and Daniel.
Photo: Steven Carter. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.