Elroy Face, Kent Tekulve Among Pirates Hall of Fame Class
PITTSBURGH – Elroy Face and Kent Tekulve, arguably the two best relief pitchers in franchise history, will be among four former players inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame on Aug. 26.
Bob Friend and Dick Groat will join Face and Tekulve in the Pirates’ second Hall class.
Face appeared in a franchise-record 802 games during 15 seasons with the Pirates from 1953-68, getting credited with 100 wins. He also would have been credited with 188 saves, the most in franchise history, if the rule had been instituted prior to the 1969 season.
Tekulve is the Pirates’ all-time saves leader as he notched 158 over a 12-season span from 1974-85. Most notably, Tekulve was on the mound for the final out of the 1979 World Series, getting Pat Kelly to fly out to end Game 7. That was the franchise’s last appearance in the World Series.
Friend was a workhorse starting pitcher for the Pirates over 15 seasons from 1951-65. He holds the franchise career records for starts (477), innings pitched (3,481) and strikeouts (1,682).
Groat won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1960 when he hit a league-leading .325 as the Pirates’ shortstop and helped them upset the New York Yankees in the World Series. The Swissvale native hit .290 in nine seasons with the Pirates from 1952-62.
The Pirates will hold the induction ceremony prior to a game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.
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