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‘Truly one-of-a-kind’: Legendary Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant dies at 83

By Frank O'Laughlin, Boston 25 News Staff
By Frank O'Laughlin, Boston 25 News Staff

BOSTON — Legendary Boston Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant has passed away.

Tiant, affectionately known as “El Tiante,” died Tuesday at the age of 83, Major League Baseball announced.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Luis Tiant,” MLB wrote in a post on X.

The Cuban emigre pitched 19 seasons in the big leagues from 1964 to 1982, eight of which were with the Red Sox.

Altogether, Tiant spent 31 years in the Red Sox organization as a player, coach, broadcaster, and special assignment instructor.

The charismatic right-handed starter, remembered for having one of the funkiest pitching windups, tallied 229 career wins, 187 complete games, and 47 shutouts over 573 appearances.

Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry described Tiant as “truly one-of-a-kind.”

“Luis had the kind of unforgettable presence that made you feel like you were part of his world. He was a pitcher with incredible talent, accomplishing so much with a style uniquely his own,” Henry said in a statement. “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 joined the Red Sox in 1971 at the age of 30 after six years with Clevland and one with Minnesota. He later went on to pitch two seasons with the Yankees before ultimately retiring after the 1982 season.

During his time in Boston, Tiant racked up 122 wins and posted a 3.36 ERA across 274 games, serving as the centerpiece of several pennant races and leading the club to the 1975 World Series.

“Today is a very sad day,” Fred Lynn, a teammate of Tiant in both Boston and California, wrote in a post on X. “A Big game pitcher, a funny genuine guy who loved his family and baseball. I miss him already.”

The Red Sox fell to the Cincinnati Reds in that 1975 Fall Classic but Tiant won Game 1 in a shutout, threw 155 pitches in a complete game victory in Game 4, and was back on the mound for eight innings of Game 6.

Tiant was considered for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame via voting of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America from 1988 to 2002, and by the Hall of Fame’s era committees in 2011, 2014, and 2017, although he fell short of the required votes for induction each time.

His brilliant career ultimately landed him in the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997.

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Luis Tiant BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 23: Former Boston Red Sox player Luis Tiant waves to the crowd before Game One of the 2013 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park on October 23, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Tiant is survived by his wife, Maria, and their four children, Luis Jr., Isabel, Daniel, and John Papile.

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