Kent Tekulve was born on Wednesday, March 5, 1947, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tekulve was 27 years old when he broke into the big leagues on May 20, 1974, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Kent Tekulve baseball stats page.
"Picture a tall, extremely skinny guy skipping stones across a lake with that full sidearm delivery so necessary for stone skipping. Put a Pittsburgh Pirate uniform on the guy, substitute a baseball for the flat stones, and move him from the lakeshore to the pitcher's mound at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh and you have Kent Tekulve, relief pitcher." - Columnist Scott Ostler in Baseball Digest (December 1978)
Kent TekulveKent 'Teke' Tekulve Autograph on a 1987 Donruss Baseball Card (#453) |
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Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kent TekulveKent Tekulve Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
1974 | 27 | Pirates | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 6.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 44 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - |
1975 | 28 | Pirates | 34 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2.25 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 56.0 | 232 | 43 | 14 | 20 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - |
1976 | 29 | Pirates | 64 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 3 | .625 | 2.45 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 102.2 | 409 | 91 | 28 | 30 | 3 | 25 | 7 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
1977 | 30 | Pirates | 72 | 0 | 35 | 10 | 1 | .909 | 3.06 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 103.0 | 422 | 89 | 35 | 41 | 5 | 33 | 6 | 59 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
1978 | 31 | Pirates | 91 | 0 | 65 | 8 | 7 | .533 | 2.33 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 135.0 | 573 | 115 | 35 | 44 | 5 | 55 | 18 | 77 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - |
1979 | 32 | Pirates | 94 | 0 | 67 | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2.75 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 134.1 | 550 | 109 | 41 | 46 | 5 | 49 | 20 | 75 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - |
1980 | 33 | Pirates | 78 | 0 | 57 | 8 | 12 | .400 | 3.39 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 93.0 | 407 | 96 | 35 | 39 | 6 | 40 | 16 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - |
1981 | 34 | Pirates | 45 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 2.49 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 65.0 | 268 | 61 | 18 | 19 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - |
1982 | 35 | Pirates | 85 | 0 | 64 | 12 | 8 | .600 | 2.87 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 128.2 | 541 | 113 | 41 | 47 | 7 | 46 | 23 | 66 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - |
1983 | 36 | Pirates | 76 | 0 | 56 | 7 | 5 | .583 | 1.64 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 99.0 | 398 | 78 | 18 | 27 | 1 | 36 | 12 | 52 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - |
1984 | 37 | Pirates | 72 | 0 | 51 | 3 | 9 | .250 | 2.66 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 88.0 | 370 | 86 | 26 | 30 | 4 | 33 | 12 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - |
1985 | 38 | Pirates | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 16.20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.1 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
1985 | 38 | Phillies | 58 | 0 | 41 | 4 | 10 | .286 | 2.99 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 72.1 | 306 | 67 | 24 | 28 | 4 | 25 | 9 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - |
1986 | 39 | Phillies | 73 | 0 | 34 | 11 | 5 | .688 | 2.54 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 110.0 | 446 | 99 | 31 | 35 | 2 | 25 | 10 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 1 | - |
1987 | 40 | Phillies | 90 | 0 | 38 | 6 | 4 | .600 | 3.09 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 105.0 | 432 | 96 | 36 | 38 | 8 | 29 | 13 | 60 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - |
1988 | 41 | Phillies | 70 | 0 | 35 | 3 | 7 | .300 | 3.60 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 80.0 | 347 | 87 | 32 | 34 | 3 | 22 | 11 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - |
1989 | 42 | Reds | 37 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 3 | .000 | 5.02 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 52.0 | 235 | 56 | 29 | 35 | 5 | 23 | 8 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
16 Years | 1,050 | 0 | 638 | 94 | 90 | .511 | 2.85 | 0 | 0 | 184 | 1,436.1 | 6,001 | 1,305 | 455 | 526 | 63 | 491 | 179 | 779 | 23 | 17 | 3 | - |
Kent TekulveKent Tekulve Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1974 | 27 | Pirates | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1975 | 28 | Pirates | 34 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .091 | .167 | .091 |
1976 | 29 | Pirates | 64 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1977 | 30 | Pirates | 72 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 |
1978 | 31 | Pirates | 91 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .095 | .136 | .095 |
1979 | 32 | Pirates | 94 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .133 | .188 | .133 |
1980 | 33 | Pirates | 78 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .100 | .000 |
1981 | 34 | Pirates | 45 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1982 | 35 | Pirates | 85 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .071 | .071 | .071 |
1983 | 36 | Pirates | 76 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1984 | 37 | Pirates | 72 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1985 | 38 | Pirates | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1985 | 38 | Phillies | 58 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1986 | 39 | Phillies | 73 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .167 | .000 |
1987 | 40 | Phillies | 90 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .500 | .000 |
1988 | 41 | Phillies | 70 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1989 | 42 | Reds | 37 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
16 Years | 1,050 | 121 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 61 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .083 | .126 | .083 |
Kent TekulveKent Tekulve Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1974 Pirates | P | 8 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 0.6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 5.00 |
1975 Pirates | P | 34 | 0 | 168 | 23 | 0.7 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .957 | 3.54 |
1976 Pirates | P | 64 | 0 | 308 | 31 | 0.5 | 30 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .968 | 2.63 |
1977 Pirates | P | 72 | 0 | 309 | 39 | 0.5 | 39 | 7 | 32 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.41 |
1978 Pirates | P | 91 | 0 | 405 | 50 | 0.5 | 46 | 8 | 38 | 4 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .920 | 3.07 |
1979 Pirates | LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 0.00 |
1979 Pirates | P | 94 | 0 | 403 | 36 | 0.4 | 35 | 7 | 28 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .972 | 2.34 |
1980 Pirates | P | 78 | 0 | 279 | 24 | 0.3 | 23 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .958 | 2.23 |
1981 Pirates | P | 45 | 0 | 195 | 20 | 0.4 | 20 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.77 |
1982 Pirates | P | 85 | 0 | 386 | 39 | 0.5 | 38 | 11 | 27 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .974 | 2.66 |
1983 Pirates | P | 76 | 0 | 297 | 23 | 0.3 | 23 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.09 |
1984 Pirates | P | 72 | 0 | 264 | 31 | 0.4 | 31 | 6 | 25 | 0 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.17 |
1985 Pirates | P | 3 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.70 |
1985 Phillies | P | 58 | 0 | 217 | 17 | 0.3 | 17 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.12 |
1986 Phillies | P | 73 | 0 | 330 | 29 | 0.4 | 26 | 4 | 22 | 3 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .897 | 2.13 |
1987 Phillies | P | 90 | 0 | 315 | 32 | 0.4 | 31 | 11 | 20 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .969 | 2.66 |
1988 Phillies | P | 70 | 0 | 240 | 21 | 0.3 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.36 |
1989 Reds | P | 37 | 0 | 156 | 11 | 0.3 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.90 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
P Totals | 1,050 | 0 | 4,309 | 432 | 0.4 | 419 | 92 | 327 | 13 | 17 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .970 | 2.63 | |
LF Totals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 0.00 | |
16 Years | 1,051 | 0 | 4,309 | 433 | 0.4 | 420 | 93 | 327 | 13 | 17 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .970 | 2.63 |
Kent TekulveKent Tekulve Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1974 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.20 | 6.00 | 5.00 |
1975 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.6 | 11.0 | 1.22 | 4.50 | 3.70 |
1976 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 2.72 | 5.96 | 2.19 |
1977 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.79 | 5.16 | 2.88 |
1978 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 1.40 | 5.13 | 3.67 |
1979 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.9 | 15.0 | 1.53 | 5.02 | 3.28 |
1980 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.18 | 4.55 | 3.87 |
1981 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.00 | 4.71 | 2.35 |
1982 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 1.43 | 4.62 | 3.22 |
1983 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.44 | 4.73 | 3.27 |
1984 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 1.09 | 3.68 | 3.38 |
1985 Pirates | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.80 | 10.80 | 13.50 |
1985 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1.44 | 4.48 | 3.11 |
1986 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 2.28 | 4.66 | 2.05 |
1987 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.07 | 5.14 | 2.49 |
1988 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.95 | 4.84 | 2.48 |
1989 Reds | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.35 | 5.37 | 3.98 |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
16 Years | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 60.5 | 1.59 | 4.88 | 3.08 |
Kent TekulveKent Tekulve Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
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Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
1974 Pittsburgh Pirates | 50 | $15,000.00 | - | - |
1975 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $16,200.00 | - | - |
1976 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $26,500.00 | - | - |
1977 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $60,000.00 | - | - |
1978 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $120,000.00 | - | - |
1979 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $215,000.00 | - | Stats |
1980 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $325,000.00 | Stats | - |
1981 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $500,000.00 | - | - |
1982 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $500,000.00 | - | - |
1983 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $500,000.00 | - | - |
1984 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $500,000.00 | - | - |
1985 Pittsburgh Pirates | 27 | $830,000.00 | - | - |
1985 Philadelphia Phillies | 27 | " " | - | - |
1986 Philadelphia Phillies | 27 | $890,000.00 | - | - |
1987 Philadelphia Phillies | 27 | $925,000.00 | - | - |
1988 Philadelphia Phillies | 27 | $850,000.00 | - | - |
1989 Cincinnati Reds | 43 | $800,000.00 | - | - |
Kent Tekulve Stats by Baseball Almanac |
Kenton Charles Tekulve was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1974-1985), Philadelphia Phillies (1985-1988), and Cincinnati Reds. Kent, his nickname, was a true workhorse-style relief pitcher, known for his legendary submarine delivery.
Besides being former relief pitchers, what do Trevor Hoffman, John Franco and Kent Tekulve have in common that no other pitcher in has duplicated? Hoffman took the mound 1,035 times, but never started a game. Franco took the mound 1,119 times, but never started a game. Tekulve took the mound 1,050 times, but never started a game—the only pitchers in baseball history with 1,000+ appearances, no starts.
Kent Tekulve Rookie Card | 1976 Topps Baseball Card (#112 | Checklist) | Baseball Almanac Collection
In 1978, Kent Tekulve became the first Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to take the mound at least ninety times during the same season, crushing the record of 72 appearances set in 1972, by Goose Gossage and Tekulve himself! In 1979, Tekulve broke his own record again, taking the mound in a franchise record 94 games, a mark that has never been broken, and tied once, by Salomon Torres in 2006.
In 1987, Kent Tekulve became the first Philadelphia Phillies pitcher to take the mound at least ninety times during the same season, crushing the record of 74 appearances set in 1950, by Jim Konstanty. No Phillie since Tekulve has appeared in 90-or-more games (Rheal Cormier, 84 appearances in 2004, is next closest).
Kent Tekulve | Pittsburgh Pirates Submariner | Photoshopped by Baseball Almanac
Did you know that Roy Face (1960 World Series) was the first pitcher to ever save three games during a World Series? The next? Kent Tekulve (1979 World Series), and both twirlers pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The World Series record for saves in a Fall Classic (regardless of the series length) has since been broken, by John Wetteland, who had four saves with the New York Yankees in the 1996 World Series, but no National League pitcher has passed Face or Tekulve.
Kent Tekulve Delivery | 1979 World Series Game 6 | October 16, 1979