Harold James Kurtz (born August 20, 1943 in Washington, D.C.) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians before the 1962 season, and played for them in 1968. Upon making the Indians' team out of spring training in 1968, Kurtz publicly thanked Manager Alvin Dark for giving him a chance he never thought he would have. The 24-year-old rookie right-hander stood 6'3" and weighed 205 lbs. Kurtz appeared in 28 games for Cleveland, finishing 12 and saving one. In 38 innings he gave up 37 hits, and only two of those were home runs. His record was 1-0 with an earned run average of 5.21. His finest major league effort came on June 3, 1968 at Cleveland Stadium. He entered the game against the Chicago White Sox in the top of the 10th inning with the score tied 2-2 and pitched five scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and no walks. Teammate José Vidal hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 14th to win the game 3-2 and get Kurtz his first and only major league win. The son of a physician, Kurtz spent his off-seasons pursuing pre-med studies. The former pitcher now resides in Maryland.
Trivia
- Kurtz's minor league record for seven seasons before joining the Indians was 23-33 with a 4.55 ERA.
- His nickname is "Bud Light."
