One of the good habits we can learn from athletes is their undeniable dedication to a specific field. In that vein, allow me to introduce Kent Tekulve, an old and respected former pitcher who spent a year and a half in the field.
Tekulve spent 16 seasons in Major League Baseball during his career (MLB).
To elaborate, he spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he also played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds. Along his path, he was best known for his unusual submarine delivery, for which he also holds several records. Tekulve holds the career records for most appearances and innings pitched without making a single start as of start.
Later, after retiring, he worked as a broadcaster, passing on his knowledge of the sport to others.
What is the Net Worth of Kent Tekulve? Salary, Earnings
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Although Tekulve’s net worth has not been disclosed, we estimate him to be worth at least $9 million. Tekulve earned $900,000 per year as a salary during his career.
Where was Kent Tekulve born? Ethnicity, Nationality, Family
Tekulve (full name Kenton Charles “Teke” Tekulve) was born on March 5, 1947, under the zodiac sign of Pisces. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Edna Tekulve and Henry Tekulve. They lived in Fairfield, a Cincinnati suburb, where his mother worked as a purchasing agent for Mercy Hospital in Hamilton, Ohio. Similarly, his father used to drive a truck for the Kroger supermarket chain.
He became Jerry Tekulve’s elder brother within a few years of his birth. It was a happy four-person family. Kent was also named after a car dealer. His father, Henry, was a sports fan in addition to being a driver. He pitched in Ohio’s semipro leagues.
Education
Having their father involved in sports aided the boys in developing early sporting habits. Kent began pitching at the age of nine, while his younger brother began at the age of eleven. Overall, his father was their coach, and they quickly rose to prominence in the Little League.
Kent attended Hamilton Catholic High School after elementary school, where he played baseball. He also played in the Babe Ruth League during his tenure. Furthermore, he was always the pitcher and only batted nine times during his junior and senior years.
Tekulve attended Marietta College in Ohio after graduating from high school in 1966. He stayed for three years until 1969 when he graduated. During these tenures, he refined his side-arm delivery into the roundhouse. During his senior year, he had an ERA of 0.94. In addition, he was named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference second team.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kenton Charles “Teke” Tekulve |
| Date of Birth | March 5, 1947 |
| Birth Place | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Nick Name | Kent, Teke |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Age | 75 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet 4 inches |
| Weight | 82 kg |
| Hair Color | Grey |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Father’s Name | Henry Tekulve |
| Mother’s Name | Edna Tekulve |
| Siblings | A younger brother, Jerry Tekulve |
| Education |
|
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Linda Taylor (m. 1976) |
| Kids | A daughter, Taylor Tekulve, and a son Chris Tekulve |
| Profession | Baseball Player |
| Position | Pitcher |
| Affiliations | Pittsburgh Pirates Philadelphia Phillies Cincinnati Reds |
| Active Years | 1974-1989 |
| Broadcasting Career | 1991-2017 |
| Net Worth | Estimated $9 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Sign Jersey, Autographed Pirates Photo, Autographed Baseball Card |
| Last Update | September 2022 |
Is Kent Tekulve Single? Relationship
Every athlete has a life outside of their on-field appearances. However, Kent has not been involved in any scandals or controversies to date.
How did Kent Tekulve start his Professional Career?
Kent was not placed on any teams immediately following his graduation. He did, however, become involved in events. He was initially invited as a free agent by the Philadelphia Pirates, who asked him to try out at Forbes Field in July 1969. Due to his inability to run, he did not get the chance to try his pitching during the game.
Having said that, Dick Coury, a Pirates scout, signed him immediately after the game. Following that, he was allowed to play for the Geneva Pirates of the New York-Penn League. As he progressed, he was given a chance at Salem, Virginia, of the Carolina League. He spent two seasons in Sherbrooke of the Double-A Eastern League after playing in both leagues for two seasons.
Professional Development
After a few seasons in the leagues, he had 12 victories in his final season with the Sherbrooke.
Pirates of Pittsburgh
Kent made his major league debut in 1974, after nearly five years with the Pirates. On May 20, 1974, he pitched one inning against the Montreal Expos, allowing one hit and no runs. Although he did not win his debut, his first victory came on May 27 against the Padres.
During the game, he gave up a tie-breaking homer to John Grubb. He was then reassigned to Charleston. Kent remained with the Charleston until June of 1975, as he only returned after it. He had appeared in 34 games that season and had his first major-league hit off Dale Murray of Montreal on September 5.
He also played in the 1975 National League Championship Series against the Cincinnati Reds. After these seasons, he reached a tipping point as one of the top relievers in the Pirates’ bullpen. He had a 1.64 ERA in 14 games, according to reports. However, throughout 64 games, he had a 2.45 ERA and nine saves.
Furthermore, after the Pirates’ manager was replaced, Kent worked for the new manager, Chuck Tanner. Tekulve’s life became difficult as he was always called late when the game was on the line. Tekulve gained his closer role after a season and pitched in 91 games with 31 saves.
Breakthrough
Kent had finished second to Rollie Fingers as the Rolaids Fireman of the Year after closing the gap between the Pirates and the Phillies. The following season, known as Tekulve Time, Kent served as the Pirates’ closer. Finally, three seasons after the Phillies, the Pirates won the National League’s Eastern Division in 1979.
Kent had pitched in 94 games, which was the most in the league. Similarly, in the World Series at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, the Pirates won the second game, and Kent pitched a scoreless ninth. Overall, Kent won the World Series with the Pirates and was an All-Star in 1980. Tekulve struggled to regain his composure after that, going on a 10-game losing streak.
Overall, he broke the streak against Chicago in 1981. He was not a dominant closer, but he did sign a four-year contract with the Pirates in 1983. Tekulve became a free agent before the start of the 1984 season, which also happened to be his final season with the Pirates.
Phillies of Philadelphia
Kent was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on April 20, 1985, for reliever Al Holland and a minor leaguer. His first victory came on April 29 against Montreal for the team. He spent three seasons with the Phillies as a closer. He also became the league’s oldest pitcher (40 years old) to lead the league in appearances. Kent had made 90 appearances by the end of his time with the team.
Kent Tekulve left the Phillies after the 1988 season because the team did not offer him a new contract.
The Cincinnati Reds
Among the teams that expressed interest in Kent, he chose to participate in spring training with the Cincinnati Reds as a nonroster player. As a result, he agreed to a one-year contract with the team, which intended to keep him as John Franco’s setup man.
Kent, on the other hand, only appeared in 37 games for the team before retiring on July 17, 1989.
“AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS IN THE MIDDLE, I WASN’T ENJOYING BEING ON THE OUTSIDE.”
TEKULVE, KENT
Retirement and Beyond | Kent Tekulve
Kent Tekulve’s announcement of retirement came as a surprise to many. He had pitched 1,050 innings as a reliever before leaving the Reds midway through the season.
“The time has come for this to occur. I’ve spent my entire career enjoying the game, and now I’m not. I can’t physically do what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years.”
Kent Tekulve’s
However, the athlete’s undeniable passion for sports made it a difficult decision. As a result, even if he never returned to the field, he was in the same line as a broadcaster. Before his broadcasting career, he appeared in an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1983 to explain how people play baseball.
Career in Broadcasting
Tekulve began his new career as a broadcaster with the Philadelphia Phillies television broadcast team in 1991. He worked for the Phillies for six years, until 1997, covering pre-season and regular-season games. Following that, he signed with the Washington Wild Things of the independent Frontier League. During his tenure, he was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ advance scout.
Aside from these, he began working as an analyst for AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh in 2008. Tekulve remained devoted to the field from 2008 to 2017, covering all historical moments as well as a regular season. On September 5, the 2017 season will come to an end. Tekulve himself announced his retirement from broadcasting. Following that, he served as a guest instructor for the team during Spring Training.
“I could never have imagined that 61 years later when I received my first baseball uniform as a 9-year-old and fell in love with the game of baseball, I would still have the opportunity to be involved with it daily.”
Kent Tekulve’s
Kent Tekulve’s Playing Style and Accomplishments
We’ve all heard Kent Tekulve’s various submarine pitches, an extraordinary closer who gave batters nightmares. He appears to have changed his sidearm pitch to a submarine delivery, which is more of a leveraged delivery than a strong pitch. His submarine pitch is a golf swing with a downward spin, similar to a sinkerball.
Tekulve, as one of the best submarine pitchers, has a slew of records to his name. First, he is the only pitcher in history, along with Mike Marshall, to have appeared in 90 or more games in a single season. Second, at the age of 40, he is the oldest pitcher ever to appear in 90 games. Following that, he holds the record for career relief innings pitched (1,436 23).
Not only that, but he has 1,050 career games in relief, trailing only Hoyt Wilhelm. Kentis is also the player with the most appearances without making a single start in the league. He also appears to have a nine-day pitching streak. At the same time, he has the most career losses without a single earned run.
Kent Tekulve was also honored by the Pirates in 1988 at Three Rivers Stadium. He had gotten an oil painting of himself, a golf cart, a crystal bowl, and a lifetime pass to Pirates games back then. Linda, Tekulve’s wife, was also honored with a gold necklace set with 27 diamonds, similar to Tekulve’s uniform.
In his time as a broadcaster, he was also given the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the National League Wild Card Game. The game took place on October 1, 2014, between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants.
Transplantation of the Heart
Tekulve had a failing heart and had been on the machine since 2013. After a massive heart attack, Dr. Stephen Bailey implanted a left ventricular assist device in him on Christmas Eve. In fact, due to his failing heart, he was on the transplant waiting list. He has no idea whose heart is beating inside him, but the external pump helps his heart function and blood flow.
To illustrate, he received the transplant at Allegheny General Hospital.
Wife and children
Kent Tekulve is also a devoted husband and father. He married Linda Taylor on October 30, 1976, and the couple now has two children and a family of four. They have been married since then, and they have two children: a daughter, Taylor Tekulve, and a son, Chris Tekulve.
His son is currently married to Joanna, who appeared on The Fan Morning Show to promote the March of Dimes’ “March For Babies.”Tekulve does not use social media outside of his family. You can, however, browse through his hashtag pages.
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