When most Red Sox fans here the name Luis Tiant, they think of the man known affectionetly as "El Tiante". The pitcher who led the Red Sox to three wins in the 1975 World Series, when the team was regarded as a major underdog. Despite the fact that the Red Sox lost that series, Tiant became a Red Sox legend. However, before Tiant became a star pitcher in the MLB, his father, Luis Tiant Sr. was a dominant pitcher in the Negro Leagues. Tiant Sr. was one of many major league quality players who were blocked out of the major leagues because of the color barrier. His son would win 229 career games, only to be told that his father was better. Tiant Sr. was forced to pitch in Cuba for 50 cents a game, because he was not allowed to play professionally in America. Tiant proved that he could pitch well against major league talent, defeating the Babe Ruth All-Stars in two games during 1935 and allowing Ruth to get just one single.
Tiant is like many Negro League stars. He could have been an all-time great and a Hall of Famer, but instead is known only as the father of Luis Tiant, the Red Sox great. It is time for players like Tiant to be recognized.
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