Hal Kurtz: key obituary facts
Is Hal Kurtz dead? Yes. Hal Kurtz died on October 7, 2026, at age 83.
Cause of death: Hal Kurtz's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Hal Kurtz known for?
He was an American baseball player.
More about Hal Kurtz
Born: 20 August 1943.
Place of birth: Washington, D.C.
Gender: male.
Nationality: United States.
Also known as: Harold James Kurtz.
Hal Kurtz, an American baseball player who pitched in relief for the Cleveland Indians, died October 7, 2026, aged 83.
Harold James Kurtz, nicknamed “Bud,” was signed by Cleveland before the 1962 season, but his major-league appearances for the club came in 1968. He made the Indians’ roster out of spring training that year and publicly thanked manager Alvin Dark for giving him a chance he had not expected to receive.
During the season, Kurtz appeared in 28 games, finished 12 and recorded one save. In 38 innings, he allowed 37 hits, only two of them home runs; his win-loss record was 1-0, with a 5.21 earned-run average. His most notable major-league outing came June 3, 1968, at Cleveland Stadium, against the Chicago White Sox. With the score tied 2-2, he entered in the top of the 10th inning and stayed on the mound for five scoreless innings. He surrendered one hit and issued no walks. Cleveland remained level with Chicago until José Vidal hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 14th, winning 3-2 and giving Kurtz his first and only major-league win.