Davey Jones Locker

[Doc]

Luis Tiant was a legend when I was a kid. Just like Carmen Ronzonni in Bad News Bears "Breaking Training", many of us imitated his delivery.

If a young pitcher came to a major league team today with that wind-up, the first thing they'd do is change him, and that's a shame. Baseball has always had characters who did quirky things, and had lots of success doing it their way. We don't see that much anymore as everyone is formed from a cookie cutter. I miss the oddities that made the game so much more fun.

[Babe Adams]

Tiant threw 57 innings for the Pirates when he was 40.

"Luis Tiant was a legend when I was a kid."

I had a dream about Tiant. I was a rookie, and he was throwing batting practice. I hit a few liners, and was feeling pretty good. The guys in the dugout were nodding their approval. Then Earl growled, "Show him the good one now!" Luis went into the windup, and the ball zipped across the plate while his back was still turned to me. Then pitches started coming from every direction, as I flailed at the air. The dugout collapsed in laughter.

[3pirates3]

https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/the- ... d-marshall

[Babe Adams]

Fernando Valenzuela, 63, RIP. He was a masterful pitcher for a while, and then a battler for a long time:

https://www.mlb.com/news/fernando-valenzuela-dies

If you were around then, you can't understand how big he was.

[Surgnbuck]

I was stationed in Southern California, and got to watch him pitch. However, I didn't get to see him during his rookie season in 1981 when Fernandomania was off the charts.

RIP, you looked to the sky your entire career, and now you're there.

[3pirates3]

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pir ... 2410230097