Luis Tiant, charismatic Cuban pitcher with mesmerizing windup, dies at 83
LA TimesLuis Tiant went 21-9 with 19 complete games and nine shutouts — four of them in a row — with a 1.60 ERA in 1968 while pitching for Cleveland. Luis Tiant, the charismatic Cuban with a horseshoe mustache and mesmerizing windup who pitched the Boston Red Sox to the brink of a World Series championship and himself to the doorstep of the Hall of Fame, has died. “Luis embodied everything we love about this game: resilience, passion, and an undeniable sense of belonging to something greater than himself,” Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner said. His death comes one week after that of hits leader Pete Rose, whose Cincinnati Reds faced Tiant’s Red Sox in the 1975 World Series — still considered one of the greatest matchups in baseball history. He remained active with the Red Sox in spring training and was visible around Fenway Park, often signing autographs before the game at the ballpark’s El Tiante Cuban sandwich stand.
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Luis Tiant gave Red Sox great pitching and a very funky windup. His joy was just a bonus
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