Luis Tiant Biography

Luis Tiant, born November 23, 1940, played 19 years in Major League Baseball as a pitcher, primarily for the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox. He recorded a 229–172 win–loss record with 2,416 strikeouts, a 3.30 ERA, 187 complete games, and 49 shutouts in 3486+1⁄3 innings pitched. At sixteen years old in 1957, Luis Tiant was named to the Cuban Juvenile League All-Star team. After posting a 15–1 record at Triple-A Portland, including a no-hitter and a one-hitter in consecutive starts, he was promoted to the Indians in mid-July 1964. Tiant began the 1970 season with six wins for Minnesota before fracturing his right scapula, which ended his season and raised concerns about his career. Following his release by the Twins in spring training of 1971, the Atlanta Braves signed him to a minor league contract for their Triple-A Richmond affiliate. He won 20 games in 1973 and 22 in 1974, becoming known as El Tiante at Fenway Park and earning lasting recognition as a Red Sox icon.