Could the 22nd time be the charm for Luis Tiant? For 21 consecutive ballots, the Boston Red Sox's legendary starting pitcher was left out of the Hall of Fame, whether by voting from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) or the Veterans Committee.
It has been excruciating for Boston's fanbase to see the Cuban icon consistently ignored as one of the game's all-time greats, but Tiant may have another chance at the end of 2024.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced its upcoming ballot for the Classic Baseball Era Committee, which highlights stars who played before 1980. There are some big-time names on the list, but Tiant's on-field accomplishments may stand out above the rest.
Sadly, Tiant passed away a month ago and will not be able to potentially hear his name called, but it is time to do right by him. It's a bittersweet feeling for the Tiant family, but the Hall of Fame can still honor a pitcher who stepped up in big games with a larger-than-life personality.
Red Sox icon Luis Tiant will get another chance to make the Hall of Fame in 2025
Introducing the Classic Baseball Era Committee ballot for consideration in the Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) November 4, 2024
Results will be announced at 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 8: https://t.co/F6noThgQnT pic.twitter.com/yfI6neqfoY
He tossed two complete games in the 1975 postseason, including a shutout in Game 1 of the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds as Boston's hero. Tiant reeled in the ERA title in each of the 1968 and 1972 seasons, and is also a three-time All-Star.
Tiant is ranked 44th all-time in JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score system) among starting pitchers, which measures whether a player is Hall of Fame material or not. To put it into perspective, there are fantastic pitchers sitting behind Tiant in JAWS who each have a plaque in the Hall of Fame. Don Drysdale, Red Ruffing and Juan Marichal are the three players directly under Tiant with a lower JAWS than him, but all can be found in Cooperstown. In total, there are 42 starting pitchers with a lower JAWS than Tiant who are in the Hall of Fame.
Tiant amassed 229 wins, 2,416 strikeouts and a 3.30 ERA over his 19 years of MLB service time. He was can't-miss entertainment on the mound, giving Red Sox fans eight seasons of excitement and an unforgettable windup that kids in the 1970s tried to emulate in their backyard.
Tiant is in the Red Sox's Hall of Fame, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame and the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame. He took the city of Boston, and the entire sport, by storm. It's time he is voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame among the other greats.