'Burgh's best to wear it, No. 27: Kent Tekulve shut the door for Pirates' last World Series squad

The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.

No. 27: Kent Tekulve

Fortunately for Kent Tekulve, he had a will that was as resilient as his right arm. He used both to become one of the greatest relief pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history.

He is the Tribune-Review’s choice for the city’s best athlete to wear jersey No. 27.

Tekulve’s road to the major leagues was not smooth.

Despite an 0.94 ERA at Marietta College, he was not drafted in 1969, but he was invited to a tryout at Forbes Field. He signed, and two days later, he was a starting pitcher for Single-A Geneva in the New York-Penn League.

The next season, Pirates minor league director Harding Peterson, later the franchise’s successful general manager, told Tekulve and Bruce Kison to abandon their sidearm pitching motion.

Neither listened.

Tekulve, who grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of Fairfield and was cut from the Hamilton Catholic team as a sophomore, patterned his submarine delivery after Reds relief pitcher Ted Abernathy. As it turned out, Tekulve ended up with more saves in more major league seasons (184 in 16) than Abernathy (149 in 14).

Tekulve pitched in 1,050 games — all in relief — and saved 158 for the Pirates, second in franchise history to Elroy Face. Not included in that total were three in the 1979 World Series triumph against the Baltimore Orioles, including Game 7. He blew a save in Game 4 as the Orioles took a 3-1 series lead.

“Teke made my job easier,” manager Chuck Tanner said in an article on the Society for American Baseball Research website. “Any time a manager can count on one pitcher to pitch four to five times a week, it makes his job easier.”

Tekulve also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies and in his final season with the Reds in 1989. He led the majors in appearances four times, topping out at 94 in 1979.

Tanner wanted him in the game so desperately that he moved him to left field one day in San Francisco to keep him eligible after lefty Grant Jackson faced one left-handed batter. Jackson retired power hitter Darrell Evans on a fly ball to left field that Tekulve caught without a problem.

Tekulve recorded the final five outs of Game 7 in 1979.

The Orioles’ first batter to face Tekulve was Terry Crowley, who hit a two-run double against him in Game 4. As Tekulve climbed the mound, Willie Stargell trotted over from first base to greet him.

“Teke, show the people why you’re the best in the National League,” Stargell said. “And if you don’t think you can do that, then play first and I’ll pitch!”

Crowley bounced out, and the Pirates went on to their most recent World Series triumph.

Last night we honored The Rubberband Man during the seventh inning stretch at PNC. #ThanksTeke pic.twitter.com/KDwx6QcVCJ

— Pirates (@Pirates) September 28, 2017

After Tekulve retired, he went into broadcasting with the Phillies and later was an analyst for Pirates games on AT&T SportsNet. He also served as a Pirates scout, and he was general manager and pitching coach for the Washington Wild Things of the independent Frontier League.

Other 27s of note include:

• Alexei Kovalev, who scored 151 of his 430 career goals while playing for the Penguins from 1998-2003. Kovalev played for the Moscow Dynamo in 1989 in his native Russia at age 16. He played for five NHL teams, finishing up with the Florida Panthers in 2013. He last played for a Swiss team in 2017 at age 44.

• Four Steelers defensive backs wore No. 27 with distinction in five consecutive decades, starting with Dick Haley from 1961-64 when he totaled 13 interceptions. Haley went on to become the Steelers director of player personnel. His son, Todd, served the team as offensive coordinator from 2012-17.

• Haley was followed by Glen Edwards (1971-77, 25 interceptions), whose big hit on the Minnesota Vikings’ John Gilliam led to an interception by Mel Blount in Super Bowl IX.

• Thomas Everett totaled 16 picks from 1987-91.

• Willie Williams recorded eight from 1993-96 and one more in 2004, finally retiring after the 2005 season.

Check out the entire ’Burgh’s Best to Wear It series here.