Elroy Face, the beloved relief pitcher who helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their unforgettable 1960 World Series victory, has died. He was 97.
The team announced that Face passed away in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his three children — Michelle, Valerie and ElRoy Jr. — as well as his sister, Jacqueline.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Pirates Hall of Famer ElRoy Face, a beloved member of the Pirates family,” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said in a statement. “I was fortunate to get to know ElRoy personally, and I will always be proud that we had the chance to honor him.”
Face was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2023, giving fans one last opportunity to celebrate a man who helped shape one of the franchise’s most iconic chapters.
Nicknamed the “Baron of the Bullpen,” Face stood just 5-foot-8, but his impact on the game was towering.
Over 15 seasons with Pittsburgh (1953, 1955–1968), he became one of baseball’s earliest dominant relief specialists — long before the closer role was formally defined. The Pirates have described him as a pioneer of modern relief pitching, and his numbers remain staggering.
Face appeared in 802 games for the franchise, still a team record. He earned 96 wins in relief — the most in National League history — and recorded 188 saves before the statistic even became official in 1969. He finished his career with a 3.46 ERA and 842 strikeouts.
His 1959 season is still talked about in baseball circles. That year, Face went 18-1, posting a .947 winning percentage — one of the best single-season marks ever recorded. He was named an All-Star three consecutive years from 1959 to 1961.
Face’s legacy is forever intertwined with the Pirates’ dramatic 1960 championship against the powerhouse New York Yankees.
He pitched in all four of Pittsburgh’s wins during that series, facing a lineup that included legends like Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle.
In Game 1, Face closed out a 6-4 victory. In Games 4 and 5, he delivered three scoreless innings in each contest, helping the Pirates take a 3-2 series lead.
Though he struggled in Game 7, the championship finale became one of the most famous games in baseball history. After a back-and-forth battle, second baseman Bill Mazeroski hit a walk-off home run — the only Game 7 walk-off homer in World Series history — sealing the Pirates’ third title.
Beyond the statistics, Face was remembered as a steady presence in the Pirates community for decades. He frequently returned to PNC Park for alumni events, ceremonies and opening day celebrations, remaining closely connected to the organization and its fans.
For Pittsburgh, he wasn’t just a Hall of Famer. He was part of the family.
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