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Kent Tekulve had one of baseball’s most memorable deliveries. More than a side-arm hurler, Tekulve was a full-on submariner. The style helped him become one of baseball’s most dependable relievers.

For the 13-year period from 1975-1987 “Teke” was at his best. During the run he appeared in 935 games, and pitched to a 2.70 ERA. Tekulve finished 578 contests, tallied 90 wins and 179 saves. His ERA+ was 41% better than league-average

Tekulve’s effectiveness was complimented by his durability. He led the NL in appearances four times and games finished thrice. The right-hander appeared in at least 90 games in a season three times to tie a big league record.

In the Pirates “We are Family” championship season of 1979, Tekulve pitched in a league-leading and career-high 94 regular-season games. In the history of the game, only Mike Marshall’s 106 appearances in 1974 surpassed Tekulve’s total.

In the World Series Teke’s three saves against the Orioles tied the Fall Classic record set by fellow Pirate Roy Face.

Tekulve pitched for the Pirates until 1985 when he was traded across the state to the Philadelphia Phillies. The right-hander stayed in the City of Brotherly Love for four seasons before finishing his career in Cincinnati in 1989.

Shown above is a Pirates payroll check made out to Tekulve for the amount of $2,365.93. Dated September 29, 1978, the check is drawn on the Pittsburgh Athletic Company account.

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Kent Tekulve’s dozen years pitching in a Pirates uniform were among the most effective in franchise history. His name remains peppered throughout the franchise pitching leaderboard.

The submariner is the team’s all-time leader in ERA+ at 139. His 722 appearances, 470 games finished, and 158 saves rank behind only Roy Face.

Shown here is the back of the payroll check. The pitcher’s legal signature “Kenton Tekulve” appears at the top in the form of an endorsement.

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When it comes to ironman relievers, Kent Tekulve and Mike Marshall stand alone. The only two men to have multiple 90-appearance seasons, each did it three times.

Marshall holds the single-season record with 106 relief appearances in 1974. He also reached the 90-game plateau in 1973 and 1979. Tekulve pulled off his own trifecta by tossing in 90+ contests in 1978, 1979, and 1987.

This image above is a Heilbroner Baseball Bureau information card filled out by Marshall. In addition to supplying his biographical information, Marshall writes his name. Believing pro athletes should not be seen as heroes, Marshall refused to sign autographs for most of his life. One of the earliest existing examples of his handwriting, this card was in Marshall’s hands when he was just 17 years old.

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Kent Tekulve just might be the greatest reliever in Pittsburgh Pirates history. As a Bucco he topped all NL pitchers in games finished three times. From 1976-1984 he averaged more than 50 games finished per season and had a 142 ERA+.

In the Pirates 1979 championship campaign, Tekulve finished 5th in Cy Young balloting and 8th in the MVP race. In that season’s Fall Classic, Teke tallied three saves to tie the Fall Classic record established by fellow-Pirate Roy Face. Though their shared mark has since been broken the Yankees John Wetteland, it remains the National League standard.

The Pittsburgh franchise recognized Tekulve’s Pirate greatness by inducting him into their team Hall of Fame in 2023. The August 23rd ceremony also enshrined Face, Bob Friend, and Dick Groat.

The 1959 Topps offering shown above features Face and Friend along with Ron Kline and former Cy Young winner Vern Law. Each has signed the card.