2014 Hall of Very Good inductee Luis Tiant got some great news on Thursday. The Golden Era Committee announced their ten nominees for next year’s Hall of Fame and Tiant was among them.
Not only was “El Tiante” a 20-game winner (four times), he recorded 229 wins in his career to go with a pretty impressive 3.30 ERA. That doesn’t even include the fact that he is one of the nicest guys this planet has to offer!
To this day, most people still remember him for his unique delivery and love of the fans. It did not matter what jersey he was wearing, he always had time for his supporters. Heck, he even made time to get out with his family to see then-future HOVG inductee the San Diego Chicken perform on occasion.
This could not be happening to a nicer guy…with an amazing mustache.
In order to be inducted through this relatively new “back-channel” (the GEC was created in 2010), Tiant will need 12 out of 16 votes from the committee. When he was on this list back in 2011, he only received two. However, thanks to recent pushes by several websites (wink wink), the former hurler is in a position to make a real go of it this time around. Also under consideration; Dick Allen, Bob Howsam, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Billy Pierce, Maury Willis and another Hall of Very Good inductee, Tony Oliva.
Oh, and if I got one vote on any of those names…I am picking “El Tiante”.
It would be quite a moment if Tiant were to make the Hall of Fame next July, since he would (in all likelihood) be going in with Pedro Martinez. Both men, of course, are famed Boston Red Sox starting pitchers, which would create a huge influx of BeanTown representation at the ceremony. What is fascinating (to me, anyway) about these two men is that the only real difference in their overall careers seems to be accolades. Martinez won three Cy Young awards compared to Tiant’s goose egg. Yet Tiant had ten more career wins!
Look, I could go on and on about how great Tiant is…because we know him personally! He is cordial, kind, polite, gracious and a shining beacon of light. As a ballplayer, we believe that he belongs in the big show.
And besides, why wouldn’t we want another bronzed lip sweater gracing the walls of Cooperstown?
Congrats Luis! Your friends at The Hall of Very Good are rooting for you…and your glorious mustache. We will leave you with a Luis Tiant Mustache Fact, for good luck, of course:
“Luis Tiant’s Mustache plants a tree for every hair he loses; you’re welcome Amazon Rain Forest.”
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