Happy Birthday Luis Tiant

[mikelink45]

We only had Luis Tiant for the 1970 year when he won 7 of his 229 victories.  He had played six years for the Indians before we got him and the next 8 years he was a Red Sox.  Luis would have been a great part of our history if we had held on to him. Baseball Almanac writes, "Luis Tiant was a three-time All-Star ( 1968, 1974, 1976 ), who led the American League in shutouts three times (1966, 1968, 1974), and struck out 200+ batters three years (1967, 1968, 1973). Tiant pitched for six different teams during his nineteen year career and his uniform number always contained a number three."   Correction below - his dad played 10 years in the Negro Leagues. He was colorful, his windup was magnificent. The Windup

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Fascinating!

[Rigby]

Luis came to the Twins along with Stan Williams who was absolutely lights out in 1970. The Twins gave up Dean Chance, Graig Nettles, Ted Uhlaender and Bob Miller. Chance, one of the Twins' best pitchers ever in his brief stay was nearing the end of his career due to injuries. Nettles....ouch. Twins traded the wrong brother.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Finally, the Twins are linked to a free agent starting pitcher this offseason.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Here's a 2009 documentary about Tiant, "The Lost Son of Havana"

 

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

 He also played 10 years in the Negro Leagues. 

That was his dad. Luis Tiant was born in 1940.

[Otto von Ballpark]

5 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

That was his dad. Luis Tiant was born in 1940.

Notably, after the younger Tiant left Cuba for US baseball in 1961, he had to go 14 years without seeing his parents, due to US-Cuba relations at the time. The 1975 family reunion features prominently in part 5 of the documentary above: