Kent Tekulve and ’79 Pirates Still Possess What Made Them Champions (+)

To celebrate the 45 year anniversary, the 1979 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates were at PNC Park over the weekend.

Several players and family members were recognized on the field prior to the start of the Pirates game against the Atlanta Braves. The biggest ovation from the large crowd in attendance went to Dave Parker, whose bobblehead was given away to the Pirates’ faithful.

Among the other former players in attendance was Pirates’ Hall of Famer Kent Tekulve. The now 77-year-old pitched for the Pirates from 1974-85. Tekulve was an All-Star in 1980 and finished fifth in the National League Cy Young race and eighth in MVP voting during the Pirates’ World Series run in ‘79. That year, he went 10-8 with a 2.75 ERA while pitching in a league-high 94 games and recorded 31 saves.

Like the others in attendance, Tekulve was happy to be back with his former teammates.