Facebook Group Backs Luis Tiant

There are Facebook groups out there for just about anything.

Some make perfect sense.

Some don't make any sense at all.

For Everett Bridgeford of Somers Point, New Jersey, there was only one group that seemed right…“Let's Get Luis Tiant into the Hall of Fame Now!”.

And with the Veterans Committee announcing their "Golden Era" Hall of Fame selection soon...there seemed to be no better time to tell Bridgeford's story.

HOVG: What made you start your grassroots effort to get “El Tiante” enshrined in Cooperstown?

BRIDGEFORD: I was arguing with a friend of mine who is a Yankee fan that knows everything about Tiant’s legacy. He told me I was nuts. I was up late one night and I sent (Angels broadcaster) Victor Rojas a message on Facebook asking him if he thought I was crazy too. He said I was right and if I believed in it then I should pursue it. I then went to (former Red Sox pitcher) Dick Drago, who was also on Facebook, and he quickly said that Luis Tiant is the best person he has ever met and I should definitely try to get him in. So I started a page and began inviting as many people as I could find in Boston.

HOVG: How did your love affair with BeanTown start?

BRIDGEFORD: I have been a Sox fan for as long as I can remember. Being 34, I was too young for the good days and had a long wait for 2004, but I was always a student of those teams in the 70s. I would use my Yaz swing and my Tiant windup in little league and Wiffle Ball and could never understand why none of my other friends in South Jersey didn't love the Sox as much as I did.

HOVG: And this carried over to the Hall of Fame too, right?

BRIDGEFORD: Right. I would wait every year for the Hall of Fame ceremonies, so I could see Ted Williams come up on stage. I successfully begged my parents to drive the eight hours to Cooperstown so I could see Yaz get inducted. And then I waited and waited. Why wasn't Tiant getting in? Why weren't Rice and Evans getting in? It was driving me nuts. I was a kid, these were my idols and I still couldn't understand why no one else got it. I watched the children of .260 hitters from 50 years ago accept awards for their fathers and it caused me to lose faith in the Hall of Fame.

HOVG: All in all, what’s your goal?

BRIDGEFORD: My goal is to continue adding mew members through all means possible…the website, Facebook, word of mouth, TV and radio. This is truly grassroots. I have done this so far at no cost and have not earned a single cent from my efforts. I know we can do this based on the huge numbers of people that believe in this man getting in the Hall. The end game will consist of an all out marketing assault on the Hall's Veteran's Committee and getting that 75% from letters, phone calls, interviews and statistics that stand up to anyone.

HOVG: What would it mean to you for “El Tiante” to get the call from the Hall?

BRIDGEFORD: What would it mean for me? Wow, for one, I think it will be the greatest thing ever to see him on stage with a huge smile and cigar with thousands of fans chanting “LOU–EEE LOU-EEE”! I have never had this much passion in my life for anything and I believe it will happen. Ask anyone that knows me…I am not like that. But something is making me do this and it continues to grow. I do know that the coolest thing will be able to sit back and say that I changed things for the better and mean it. I could not believe that no one had tried this before and now it seems like a done deal and we are just waiting for the ceremony. There is a lot of work left and no shortage of people or ideas. I love waking up in the morning knowing that this will happen.

If you’re interested in helping Bridgeford get his message out about getting Luis Tiant in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, check out his Facebook group, join and then…invite your friends.

If you'd like to read this entire interview (yes, yes...this was originally posted in April 2010), click HERE!

Golden Era Ballot Candidates Announced

Thank God for Jeff Idelson.

Just minutes after I asked for some real baseball news, the Hall of Fame president tweeted a link to the press release announcing the ten finalists on the Baseball Hall of Fame's Golden Era (1947-1972) Ballot.

And let me tell you...there are some good names on it.

So, without further adieu...here are the nominees as capsuled in the Hall of Fame's presser.

Buzzie Bavasi spent 17 seasons as the Dodgers general manager from 1951-67, leading his team to four World Series titles and eight National League pennants. He then served in similar capacities for the Padres (1968-77) and Angels 1978-84).

Ken Boyer played 15 seasons as a third baseman with the Cardinals, Mets, White Sox and Dodgers, earning seven All-Star Game selections and winning the 1964 National League Most Valuable Player Award en route to leading the Cardinals to a World Series championship.

Charlie Finley owned the Kansas City/Oakland A's from 1960 through 1980, building an Athletics team that won five American League West titles, three AL pennants and three World Series titles between 1971 and 1975.

Gil Hodges was named to eight All-Star Games in an 18-year big league career as a first baseman with the Dodgers and Mets, winning three Gold Glove Awards and leading the Dodgers to seven National League pennants and two World Series titles. As a manager, Hodges led the 1969 Miracle Mets to the World Series title.

Jim Kaat pitched 25 seasons with the Senators, Twins, White Sox, Phillies, Yankees and Cardinals, winning 283 games over the course of four different decades. Kaat was named to three All-Star Games and helped the Cardinals win the 1982 World Series.

Minnie Minoso played 17 seasons with the Indians, White Sox, Cardinals and Senators, earning seven All-Star Game selections and three Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder. A native of Cuba, he blazed a trail for Latin American players in the big leagues starting in the 1950s.

Tony Oliva played 15 seasons for the Twins, winning three batting titles and leading the American League in hits five times. He was named to eight All-Star Games and won the 1964 AL Rookie of the Year Award.

Allie Reynolds pitched in 13 seasons with the Indians and Yankees, winning 182 games while earning five All-Star Game berths. He pitched in six World Series, leading the Yankees to six Fall Classic titles in seven years while posting a 7-2 record with four saves and a 2.79 ERA in 15 World Series games.

Ron Santo played 15 seasons at third base for the Cubs and White Sox, earning nine All-Star Game selections and winning five Gold Glove Awards. He hit 342 home runs and drove in 1,331 runs while leading the National League in walks four times.

Luis Tiant won at least 20 games in four of his 19 big league seasons with the Indians, Twins, Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates and Angels, finishing his career with 229 wins and a 3.30 ERA while earning three All-Star Game selections. He won two American League ERA titles and led the league in shutouts three times.

Of these ten candidates, only Kaat, Minoso, Oliva and Tiant are living...the other six are deceased.

The Golden Era electorate will meet to discuss and review the candidacies of the ten finalists as part of baseball's Winter Meetings, December 4-5 in Dallas.

Any candidate to receive votes on 75 percent of the ballots cast by the 16-member Golden Era Committee will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 22, 2012, along with any electees who emerge from the 2012 Baseball Writers' Association of America election, to be announced on January 9.

Now, this all begs the question...who would you vote for?

Talkin' Baseball with Everett Bridgeford

There are Facebook groups out there for just about anything.

Some make perfect sense.

Some don’t make any sense at all.

For Everett Bridgeford of Somers Point, New Jersey, there was only one group that seemed right…“Let's Get Luis Tiant into the Hall of Fame Now!” This is his story.

HOVG: What made you start your grassroots effort to get “El Tiante” enshrined in Cooperstown?

BRIDGEFORD: I was arguing with a friend of mine who is a Yankee fan that knows everything about Tiant’s legacy. He told me I was nuts. I was up late one night and I sent (Angels broadcaster) Victor Rojas a message on Facebook asking him if he thought I was crazy too. He said I was right and if I believed in it then I should pursue it. I then went to (former Red Sox pitcher) Dick Drago, who was also on Facebook, and he quickly said that Luis Tiant is the best person he has ever met and I should definitely try to get him in. So I started a page and began inviting as many people as I could find in Boston.

HOVG: How did your love affair with BeanTown start?

BRIDGEFORD: I have been a Sox fan for as long as I can remember. Being 34, I was too young for the good days and had a long wait for 2004, but I was always a student of those teams in the 70s. I would use my Yaz swing and my Tiant windup in little league and Wiffle Ball and could never understand why none of my other friends in South Jersey didn't love the Sox as much as I did.

HOVG: And this carried over to the Hall of Fame too, right?

BRIDGEFORD: Right. I would wait every year for the Hall of Fame ceremonies, so I could see Ted Williams come up on stage. I successfully begged my parents to drive the eight hours to Cooperstown so I could see Yaz get inducted. And then I waited and waited. Why wasn't Tiant getting in? Why weren't Rice and Evans getting in? It was driving me nuts. I was a kid, these were my idols and I still couldn't understand why no one else got it. I watched the children of .260 hitters from 50 years ago accept awards for their fathers and it caused me to lose faith in the Hall of Fame.

HOVG: Who or what moment specifically caused you to lose faith?

BRIDGEFORD: The last straw was 2009 when Joe Gordon's daughter accepted his induction. Are you kidding me? This is the best they have to offer us? Then I saw the doccumentary “The Lost Son of Havana”. Was Joe Gordon exiled from his home country at 22? Did any of the players in the Hall look into the stands after their first hit or shutout and not see his father giving him a standing ovation? Tiant was a lights out, shut down competitor, who thrived with a team on his shoulders. I have seen many Hall of Famers crumble under that pressure. Nolan Ryan had many, many nights when his was far from super. The great Roger Clemens needed help to be a winner. And if I could pitch to the age of 48, I could get 300 wins like (Phil) Niekro. Luis changed the game and the city of Boston. Think about it, in a city like Boston, in the 70s, he had thousands of people chanting his name. Ted Williams never got that. Luis went through twelve seasons without ever being able to go home like all the rest could and still he is the winningest Cuban pitcher in Major League history! His numbers far surpass those of the “great” Catfish Hunter, Senator Jim Bunning (known for the great failure if '64) the legend Lefty Gomez and many others in the Hall no one has ever heard of. He is still one of the most beloved athletes in Boston history, and a constant reminder of what we want our heroes to be like. He is and always will be a Hall of Famer.

HOVG: What support have you received for the Facebook group?

BRIDGEFORD: I have received support from people all over the world…Canada, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, Europe and, of course, the United States. Richard Johnson, author and curator of the Boston Sports museum and artist Frank Galasso have been the biggest supporters along with Dick Drago and Victor Rojas. This past week, I received a helping hand from (Red Sox broadcaster) Jerry Remy and his team. They are prepared to see this through with me and offered all of their support.

HOVG: In what regard?

BRIDGEFORD: They are offering polls, links and in-game mentions of the site, which have been a huge surprise for me. Billy Conran of 1110 WCCM in Methuen, Massachusetts was the first person to contact me about a radio interview and that will, hopefully, include Luis Tiant himself. I also get great photos and memories from fans all over the country who remember seeing Tiant pitch when they were five and it being the best time they ever had. There’s also people who had a cigar with him at a golf course, or the kids in his neighborhood, that would knock on his door to get his autograph. In the past two weeks, I have added over 1,500 members and all of them know this is going to happen.

HOVG: All in all, what’s your goal?

BRIDGEFORD: My goal is to continue adding mew members through all means possible…the website, Facebook, word of mouth, TV and radio. This is truly grassroots. I have done this so far at no cost and have not earned a single cent from my efforts. I know we can do this based on the huge numbers of people that believe in this man getting in the Hall. The end game will consist of an all out marketing assault on the Hall's Veteran's Committee and getting that 75% from letters, phone calls, interviews and statistics that stand up to anyone.

HOVG: What would it mean to you for “El Tiante” to get the call from the Hall?

BRIDGEFORD: What would it mean for me? Wow, for one, I think it will be the greatest thing ever to see him on stage with a huge smile and cigar with thousands of fans chanting “LOU–EEE LOU-EEE”! I have never had this much passion in my life for anything and I believe it will happen. Ask anyone that knows me…I am not like that. But something is making me do this and it continues to grow. I do know that the coolest thing will be able to sit back and say that I changed things for the better and mean it. I could not believe that no one had tried this before and now it seems like a done deal and we are just waiting for the ceremony. There is a lot of work left and no shortage of people or ideas. I love waking up in the morning knowing that this will happen.

If you’re interested in helping Bridgeford get his message out about getting Luis Tiant in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, check out his Facebook group, join and then…invite your friends.

The Lost Son of Havana

I'm not going to lie to you...I'm completely biased when it comes to Luis Tiant.

I'm jealous of his fabulous lip sweater, have a ball autographed by him in my office at work and believe he should have been the first Cuban enshrined in Cooperstown.

That being said...please be sure you check out the documentary "The Lost Son of Havana" when it pops up on ESPN.

Here's a review courtesy of Fang's Bites.

Mustache May 'stache of the Day: Luis Tiant

Thanks to the continued support of the American Mustache Institute, it is with great pleasure that I begin our month long celebration of the 'stache with one of the fiercest mustaches ever to rock the baseball world.

Of course I am talking about "El Tiante" Luis Tiant.

AMI Style: I've gotta go with a horsehoe-walrus (walshoe... horserus?) combo. Any suggestions as to what to call this beauty?

Grade: A+++ You can't go wrong with "El Tiante"...way to start us off!

Some of you will say I am biased. Sure, thanks to my pal Sidearm, I have an autographed Tiant ball in my office, but c'mon...look at it. My guess is that of the 229 victories during Tiant's Hall-worthy career, 55-60 of them were thanks in large part to his luxurious lip curtain.

As a sidenote, the ESPN Tribeca Sports Film Festival is going to be showing what appears to be a great documentary about Tiant. Check out some clips HERE.

A special thanks to checkoutmycards.com for the use of their images.

el Tiempo del Tiante? Sure!

So let me get this straight, on the eve of the Hall of Fame votes being revealed...people are arguing back and forth about whether or not Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris or Tommy John deserve to enter the hallowed Hall?!?

Makes sense to me. Sure, put them in...but only AFTER you open the doors for Luis Tiant

I know, I know...no one is REALLY arguing John's name right now and Tiant isn't eligible until the verteran's committee gets ahold of him, but I digress. Let's look into some stats, ladies! And first, let me dispell the rumors that Tommy John belongs. He doesn't.

HOWEVER, he is about as deserving as Blyleven..if not moreso. Sure, the Dutchman is fifth All-Time in strikeouts (3701) and it isn't likely someone will get near 3500 any time soon (Greg Maddux is closest with 3169)...BUT, you give a number of players that many innings and Blyleven is merely a footnote. Ks is about ALL that Blyleven has going for him. He's got 287 wins (John has 288), but he also has 250 losses. 250 losses...fuck, he's in the top ten! However, it should be noted that the only player that has more losses (254) is Jack Powell and he, too, is not in Cooperstown...never will be.

Blyleven had one season with 20 wins...and he was 20-17 that year! Fuck, Dave Stewart did 20 Ws four years in a row! For the record, John did it 3 times between 1977 and 1980...a period where he won 80 games. Not too shabby.

Enter Jack Morris.. monster 'stache and all!

Morris was a gamer from the word "go". Top 5 in Cy Young voting five different times. He won 20 plus three times and had the most wins in the 80s with 162. Later in his career, Morris pitched one of the more memorable World Series games in the last 20 years...possibly the most memorable if not for Curt Schilling's bloody sock.

Look it up, kids...it was one for the ages.

What separates Morris from the herd is a quote I found online. He once told a female reporter..."I don't talk to women unless they're on top of me or I'm on top of them."

'nuff said.

So...that leaves El Tiante and I'll make it short and sweet. He should've been the first Cuban in the Hall of Fame (Jose Canseco should've been the second, but Tony Perez SOMEHOW beat them both to it). Okay, it boils down to the Big Red Machine versus steroid abuse versus, simply, being Luis Tiant.

The line on Tiant is impressive...229 and 172 over 19 seasons (one could argue he only pitched 15 COMPLETE seasons) and notched a .571 winning percentage. By comparison, Blyleven only won 53% of his games...as did Robin Roberts, a Hall of Famer. Tiant had four seasons with more than 20 victories and from 1973-1976, he had 80 wins. Unlike Blyleven...Tiant had a period where he WAS a dominant pitcher.

An interesting side not, his first start was a shut out versus the Whitey Ford and the Yankees in 1963! In 1968...batters hit .168 against Tiant. This was also the same season his ERA was a mind boggling 1.60.

Yikes!

Tiant was a character...and the Hall loves a good character. If it wasn't for character, does a guy like Ozzie Smith make it in?

Probably not...cue the flip. Yippeeee!