Luis Tiant was a Cuban American original.

He was an All-Star pitcher with a Hall of Fame presence.

He twerked before there was such a word.

He twirled with the flair of a newly engaged debutante.

He twisted like Chubby Checker.

His kick rivaled that of Adam Vinatieri.

He didn’t throw the ball. He flung it.

He dizzied and dazzled.

Often during the same at-bat.

He would see as much of second base as home plate during his wind-up.

Perhaps he never was quite sure where his pitches would eventually land.

The unique delivery came with Tiant to Boston in 1971, the result of a shoulder injury.

Tiant was a Cuban star in a day where the only Cubans ever seen on TV were Ricky Ricardo and Fidel Castro.

He broke his own techo de cristal.

He was the first Latin superstar in a city that would eventually see its baseball team defined in the 1990s and 21st Century by the likes of Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, and now, Raffy Devers.

NESN calls for a Duck Boat parade whenever a Red Sox starting pitcher reaches the 7th with a lead.

By his 7th inning, Tiant was still getting loose.

He was a cigar-chomping pitching machine. While Yaz might have been dragging a Marlboro, Tiant savored the smokes that were a staple of his homeland. We’ll never know if his were actual Cubans smuggled into the U.S., or just christened that way because he chose them to be slowly incinerated.

We’ll never know how many pitches Tiant threw. They didn’t track pitches in his day. But he started 484 games for the Indians, Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates, and Angels.

On June 14, 1974, at Anaheim, California, Tiant and Nolan Ryan combined to pitch 27.1 innings as the Red Sox lost to the Angels 4-3 in the 15th on a double by none other than Denny Doyle.

Tiant went the distance in taking the loss, despite already having thrown complete games in his previous 8 starts. And this was back in the days of a four-man rotation. It has since been determined Ryan uncorked 235 pitches that night in Anaheim. He made it through 13 innings, striking out 19 batters and walking 10. It’s been estimated that Tiant threw anywhere between 220 and 220,000 pitches.

No other starting pitcher has reached the 15th inning in the past 50 years.

Tiant’s denouement with the Red Sox came in the 1975 postseason. Tiant started Game 1 of the ALCS. It was the first postseason game at Fenway since Game 7 of the 1967 World Series. A complete-game shutout knocked Oakland on its A’s and the three-time defending World Champions never recovered.

Tiant worked Game 1 of the 1975 World Series at Fenway Park. Later that Saturday night, a new live 90-minute comedy show made its debut on NBC featuring the “Not Ready For Prime Time Players.”

Tiant was always ready for prime time. Even on this cloudy afternoon at Fenway Park. The recollection (and video) of him romping around the basepaths in his batting jacket and batting helmet make this part of the Fall Classic look more like an old-timers game.

And after Tiant “scored” the game’s first run in the bottom of the 7th, Carlton Fisk had to gently remind to go back and touch home plate. Boston rolled to a 6-0 victory.

Tiant threw another 9 full in Game 4, as the Red Sox tied the Series 2-2 at Riverfront Stadium with a 5-4 win.

The Weather Gods struck after Game 5. The rain pushed Game 6 back until Oct. 21. Tiant had 6 days rest. He took that one into the 8th inning but only after giving up 6 runs. Even a bottomless tank like Tiant eventually ran out of gas. He was let off the hook by Bernie Carbo in the 8th, and Fisk in the 12th.

Tiant led the American League with a 1.60 ERA in 1968 while pitching with Cleveland, before leading the majors in losses a year later with 20. Such was the paradox of his career. He also won 20 games with the mediocre 1973 Red Sox.

Seeing Tiant in a Yankees uniform was as traumatic as getting Bobby Orr’s hockey card showing him in the colors of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Red Sox let Tiant sign with the Yankees a month after the 1978 Bucky F. Dent Classic. At the time, according to Peter Gammons, Yaz and Bill Campbell famously said: “they tore our hearts out.”

Thankfully, no one ever tore out Tiant’s heart. He never changed. His was the rare voice of grace in a clubhouse famously defined by “25 cabs, 25 players.”

Two generations of Red Sox fans have come along since his retirement. Knowing him as the guy whose moniker “El Tiante” was on a grill at Fenway Park. Always smiling. Always giving. Whenever and wherever asked.

Tiant loved baseball. He loved life. His biggest break was being in the minors when Castro took over Cuba. He was safe and free to find baseball immortality. But would not see his parents for 14 years after 1961.

Tiant died Tuesday at his home in Wells, Maine. He was 83. Fred Lynn mourned his Red Sox teammate’s passing. Lynn posted on X: “Today is a very sad day. My friend and teammate, Luis Tiant, passed away. A Big game pitcher, a funny genuine guy who loved his family and baseball. I miss him already….RIP my friend.”

Tiant never cracked 31% when he was eligible for the Hall of Fame as a player. Tiant is up for consideration in the Hall of Fame in 2025 by the Classic Baseball Era committee.

There’s no denying Tiant was a baseball classic.

Hall of Fame or no Hall of Fame.

Bill Speros (@BillSperos and @RealOBF on X) can be reached at bsperos1@gmail.com.