BOSTON – Boston Red Sox pitching legend Louis Diante, who led a 19-year Major League Baseball career, has died.
Thiant died Tuesday morning at his home in Maine, according to the Red Sox. The cause of death was not immediately released.
Who is Louis Diane?
Diante, nicknamed “El Diante”, was 83 years old.
Diante won 229 games and had a 3.36 earned run average. The right-hander made his major league debut with Cleveland in 1964. After six years with the Indians, he spent one season with Minnesota and then eight years in Boston, where he helped lead the team to the 1975 World Series, where the Red Sox lost in 7 games to Cincinnati.
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Following his tenure with the Red Sox, Diante played two years with the Yankees, one in Pittsburgh, and one final season with the Angels.
Former teammate Fred Lynn responded to Diane’s death, saying it was a “very sad day.”
Tiant, who Born in CubaAmassed four 20-win seasons and won the American League ERA title twice.
He is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame and the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame.
MLB released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Louis Diante.”
During a 2015 celebration of the 1975 Boston Red Sox, Diante talked about his unique windup. while appearing in the NESN broadcast booth. The right-hander said he first attempted a comeback from a hitter in 1972 during his windup.
“After that, I hit 172 games. It worked for me,” Diante said.
Red Sox on Diante’s “unforgettable presence.”
The Red Sox released statements from the team’s ownership group about Diante, who spent 31 years with the organization as a player, coach, broadcaster and special operations instructor.
“Lewis had an unforgettable presence that made you feel part of his world,” said principal owner John Henry. “He was a pitcher of incredible talent, accomplishing many feats in a style uniquely his own. But what truly set Lewis apart was his passion for life, embracing every moment with an infectious spirit, even in the face of his many challenges. His love for the game and the people around him made Fenway Park He had a beaming smile.
“Lewis embodies everything we love about the game: resilience, passion and an undeniable sense of belonging to something greater than himself,” said Red Sox president Tom Werner.
Louis Tiant is a Hall of Fame candidate
Although Diante has been on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years, he has not been elected by voters. He was later considered “Golden Age” ballot But not selected.
Cuban-born pitcher Tony Perez published an article about Titan’s impact on the region. Baseball Hall of Fame website.
“When I was a boy in Cuba, Luis Diante was a national hero,” Perez said.
In 2019, Tiant published A book was invited Son of Havana: A Baseball Journey from Cuba to the Big Leagues and Back. It chronicles Tiant’s journey to Major League Baseball and his 15 years separated from his family in captivity in Cuba.
Diane is survived by his wife Maria. The couple had four children, Louis Jr., Isabel, Daniel, and John Babile.
