Tom Brady squares off against Luis Tiant in the first round of Boston’s Biggest Sports Legend tournament.
There may never be a greater Cinderella story in sports than that of Tom Brady. A relative unknown in the 2000 NFL draft, Brady was famously drafted at No. 199 before becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the history of football. After stepping into a starting job midway through the 2001 season, Brady became the pivotal point of the franchise’s turnaround. His game-winning drive in Super Bowl XXXVI cemented his legend at just 23 years old. Two years later, Brady was leading the Patriots to back-to-back Super Bowl victories before setting an NFL record for most touchdowns in a single season (50), as the Patriots became the first team to finish a regular season 16-0. Already with two Super Bowl MVPs and an NFL MVP, Brady is far from finished. Though it seems unthinkable that Brady can add to his legacy, he’ll try to do just that for the better part of the next decade.
Becoming a legend involves distinguishing oneself from the pack. With an unforgettable, herky-jerky delivery and eight years on the Fenway mound, Luis Tiant did just that. The Cuban right-hander joined the Red Sox at the age of 30, but he was still entering his prime. From 1973 to 1976, Tiant averaged 20 wins per season after posting a 1.91 ERA in 1972. He’ll always be remembered, however, for his performance in the 1975 postseason, when he went 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA. He won Games 1 and 4 of the World Series and pitched seven innings in Game 6 before Carlton Fisk won the game in the 12th. Though Tiant finished his career elsewhere, he returned to Boston after his retirement and is one of the most beloved Red Sox alums. The Red Sox rewarded him in 2002 by inducting him into the team’s Hall of Fame, and “El Tiante’s” food stand on Yawkey Way keeps Sox fans satisfied to this very day.
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