Elroy Face, the All-Star reliever who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates stun the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series, has died eight days shy of his 98th birthday.
The Pirates have confirmed Face’s death. Team historian Jim Trdinich said the club was contacted by Face’s son, Elroy Jr., and informed the former pitcher died earlier in the day at an independent senior living facility outside Pittsburgh in North Versailles, Pennsylvania.
No cause of death was provided.
Face made four appearances in the 1960 series, all of which came in narrow Pittsburgh wins. Although he surrendered home runs to Yankees sluggers Elston Howard and Yogi Berra, Face still earned three saves across 10.1 innings.
That World Series famously ended in the ninth inning of Game 7 when Pittsburgh’s Bill Mazeroski hit a walk-off home run against New York reliever Ralph Terry.
‘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,’ team chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement.
Elroy Face, the All-Star reliever who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates stun the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series, has died eight days shy of his 98th birthday
Face made four appearances in the 1960 series, all of which came in narrow Pittsburgh wins
‘Elroy was a pioneer of the modern relief pitcher — the “Baron of the Bullpen” — and he played a critical role in our 1960 World Series championship.’
Face is one of several Pirates pitchers to pass away in recent months.
Wilbur Wood, who is best known for his years with the White Sox, died at 84 last month in Burlington, Massachusetts. Earlier in January, reliever Dave Giusti passed away at 86.
Selected to six All-Star teams, Face went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA in 16 major league seasons with Pittsburgh (1953-68), Detroit (1968) and Montreal (1969). He pitched in 848 games, starting only 27, and compiled 191 career saves — although saves didn’t become an official statistic until 1969.
Face was just 5ft8, but still became one of the busiest relief pitchers of the 1960s
Elroy Face acknowledges the crowd after being inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame Class of 2023 before the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park
The 5ft8 right-hander holds the National League record for wins in relief with 96 and the major league mark for relief wins in one season after going 18-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 1959.
He topped the National League with 68 appearances and 61 games finished in 1960.
Inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2023, he is the club’s career leader in appearances with 802. And the team noted that if saves had been an official stat before 1969, he also would hold that franchise record with 188.
Face was born in Stephentown, New York, on February 20, 1928.
He is survived by his three children, Michelle, Valerie and Elroy Jr., and his sister Jacqueline, the Pirates said.
