Two Former Beavers Named to PCL All-Centennial Team

Published on July 3, 2003 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Portland Beavers News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Continuing its season-long centennial celebration, the Pacific Coast League today announced its All-Centennial Team, naming two prominent former Portland Beavers--outfielder Lou Piniella and pitcher Luis Tiant--to the team.

Piniella, currently managing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, played for the Beavers from 1966-68 and batted .303 with 28 home runs and 170 RBIs in 334 games played with Portland before a successful major league career.

Piniella, the 1969 American League Rookie of the Year, went on to bat .291 with 102 home runs for his 18-year major league playing career, spent with Baltimore, Cleveland, Kansas City and the New York Yankees. Piniella, a 1972 American League All-Star with Kansas City, managed the Yankees (1986-88), Cincinnati Reds (1990-92) and Seattle Mariners (1993-2002) before joining Tampa Bay this season. He piloted the Reds to a stunning four-game sweep over the heavily favored Oakland Athletics in the 1990 World Series.

Tiant did two tours of duty with the old Beavers, first in 1964 and again at the tail end of his career in 1981. Tiant tossed a no-hitter for the Beavers in 1981 and still holds the modern PCL record in winning percentage at .938, going 15-1 with Portland in 1964. In 38 games total with the Beavers, Tiant was 28-8 with a 2.96 ERA and 265 strikeouts in 283 innings pitched.

Tiant compiled a 229-172 record and a 3.30 ERA with six different major league clubs, twice leading the American League in ERA (1968, 1972). The three-time all-star won 20 or more games in a season four times and pitched for Cleveland, Minnesota, Boston, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh and California during his 19-year big league career. The right-hander started three games, tossing two complete-game victories, in the 1975 World Series for the Red Sox.

The PCL Centennial Team was selected by fan voting at each of the league's 16 ballparks and on-line at pclbaseball.com.

The team, highlighted by manager Tommy Lasorda, recognizes players from the league's modern era (1958-present) who distinguished themselves in the circuit. To qualify for selection, each player had to be a PCL MVP, a PCL All-Star, or an offensive, defensive or pitching leader in the league before going on to a notable major league career.

The PCL All-Centennial Team
Manager - Tommy Lasorda: Spokane, Albuquerque (1969-72)
C - Mike Piazza: Albuquerque (1992)
1B - Willie McCovey: Phoenix, Tacoma (1958-59, 1960)
2B - Mike Schmidt: Eugene (1972)
SS - Larry Bowa: San Diego, Eugene (1966, 1969)
3B - Steve Garvey: Spokane (1970)
OF - Jack Clark: Phoenix (1976)
OF - Davey Lopes: Spokane, Albuquerque, Tucson (1970-71, 1972, 1987)
OF - Lou Piniella: Portland (1966-68)
OF - Mickey Rivers: Salt Lake City (1971-73)
P - Charlie Hough: Spokane, Albuquerque (1970-72)
P - Gaylord Perry: Tacoma (1960-63)
P - Luis Tiant: Portland (1964, 1981)
P - Wilbur Wood: Seattle (1963-64)

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 3, 2003


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