Posted on 06/06/2008 10:49:00 AM PDT by JZelle
During his 19 years as a pitcher in the major leagues, Luis Tiant became well known for "throwing smoke."
Now deep into retirement, the 67-year-old is spending much of his time dealing in smoke of a more literal nature, as main pitchman for his own line of fine cigars.
He and his son Daniel are now in their third year of selling El Tiante Cigars, a line of high-end stogies marketed to true aficionados.
"They've been really good, we've been really lucky," said Tiant via cell phone as he headed to Kennebunkport, Maine, for a golf tournament with former President George H.W. Bush. "So far, we've had no complaints."
As a native of Cuba, Tiant's knowledge and appreciation of cigars is probably embedded somewhere in his DNA. During a career spent largely with the Red Sox and Indians, he was known for lighting up a cigar after a victory. He won 229 games in his career, including Games 1 and 4 of the 1975 World Series. (Rumor has it he smoked in the shower and was somehow able to keep the cigar lit.)
The company appears to be taking a slow-growth approach; the cigars are available only in select cigar shops in New England, plus a handful of shops in Florida and a few other states. There are plans, however to expand into Texas, California and the midwest.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Loo-eee! Loo-eee! Loo-eee! goes the Red Sox Nation chant.
Loved watching him pitch. He never saw home plate until after he had released the ball. :)
“Rumor has it he smoked in the shower and was somehow able to keep the cigar lit.”
Rumor is wrong. The lit cigar in the shower was attributed to former Indian’s manager Joe Adcock in 1967 by the now defunct Cleveland Press reporter the late Russ Schneider
Ahhhhh.... Bellicoso....
I would try one of Looie’s (if it ever comes to New York). I loved to watch him pitch.
BTW, are pitchers blander in the DH era? I can’t think of anyone today who’s a match for Luis or Juan Marichal or Mark Fydritch or Bill Lee or a hundred other pitchers who livened up the game with their personalities.
And in the ‘68 World Series, Detroit pitcher Mickey Lolitch hit a homerun. Ban the DH! Who needs it?
My apologies. They are NOT El Tiantes in my humidor. They are Drew Estate.
Being an O’s fan, I lost interest a few years ago. You’re right though, there were some characters back then. Remember submariner Kent Tekulve with the Pirates? In the ‘78 series I knew it was over when he came in.
My favorite Red Sox pitcher from “back in the day.”
“Remember submariner Kent Tekulve with the Pirates?”
Kent Tekulve!! Yes I remember him well. One of the most impossible to hit pitchers EVER. A skinny dude with a submarine delivery that looked like a corkscrew coming over the plate. Thanks for the memory. I also remember Tiant. I was just wondering about him the other day. I’m glad to see he’s still around.
I've never been much of a cigar smoker. I'm generally a cigarette smoker, but when I want a nice relaxing smoke after dinner or in front of a fire on a cold night, I prefer a pipe. Having said that, Drew Estate acids are the only cigars I can honestly say that I really like.
But his personality was formed in the pre-DH era.
Maybe it’s just that everyone is making too much money now to have fun. (Where have you gone, Jimmy Piersall?)
Remember the Kent Tekulve glasses?
“We are family.” Yes, I remember him well.
And you’ll remember Mike Cuellar, a screwballer from the Phillipines back in the Jim Palmer era. Weird guy who never stepped on the baseline when he went out on the field.
Of course, Pedro Martinez and his midget were a throwback in his Boston days.
Yeah, he was even better in the ‘79 series...
Tiant had a brief stretch with the Bucs as I recall.
Cleveland 1964-69
Minnesota 1970
Boston 1971-78
Yankees 1979-80
Pittsburgh 1981
Angels 1982
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