Former MLB pitcher Elroy Face, who spent the majority of his 16-year big league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, passed away today at the age of 97. He was 8 days shy of his 98th birthday.
Face, who grew up near Albany, New York, was a high school baseball standout despite standing only 5, 8. Because of this, Face did not turn professional until he was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the 1949 season following a two-year stint in the Army. He would then spend three seasons in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization before being plucked by the Pirates prior to the 1953 season.
That year, Face would make his big-league debut but struggled posting a ghastly 6.58 ERA in 41 appearances (including 13 starts). After spending all of 1954 with the Bucs Double-AA affiliate in New Orleans, Face would return to the majors in 1955. By then, Face had developed a forkball under the tutelage of manager Danny Murtaugh for whom he would later pitch at Forbes Field.
In baseball's early days being a relief pitcher went that one was not good enough to be a starting pitcher. But Face's forkball was so devastating that he was often called into games in crucial situations. More often than not, he would win or save games. In 1956, Face led the NL in appearances with 68 and by 1958 would lead the NL in saves with 20.
But it was in 1959 when Face would become one of baseball's most prominent faces when he went 18-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 57 appearances all in relief. Face would not get a Cy Young vote, however. At the time, there was a single Cy Young for the AL and NL. Alas the baseball writers of the day were partial to starting pitchers as Early Wynn would get the nod for his performance with the AL pennant winning Chicago White Sox. However, Face did finish 7th in AL MVP balloting that year.
In 1960, Face would earn a World Series ring with the Bucs saving three games in that Fall Classic against the New York Yankees. Face would run out of gas in Game 7 blowing a rare save opportunity by giving up a 3-run HR to Yogi Berra in the 6th inning. But Bill Mazeroski would help Face save face and earn Pittsburgh its first World Series title in 35 years.
With Face's passing, the only surviving members remaining with the 1960 Bucs are Mazeroski, pitcher Vernon Law and outfielder Bob Skinner.
Face was named to six NL All-Star Teams between 1959 and 1961 (when there were two All-Star games per season) and led the NL in saves twice more in 1961 and in 1962. He would continue pitching in a Pittsburgh uniform until he was sold to the Detroit Tigers late in the 1968 season. While the Tigers would win the World Series, Face was largely a spectator only making two appearances before watching the World Series from the dugout. Face would finish his career with the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969.
Face finished his career with 848 appearances (802 of them in a Pittsburgh uniform). He went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA saving 191 career games, 188 of them with the Bucs. He would appear on the BBWAA ballot between 1976 and 1990 but never reached 20% of the vote and was never subsequently given consideration by the Veterans Committee. No pitcher who played the majority of their career with the Pirates has ever been inducted into Cooperstown.
Nevertheless, Elroy Face is among the greatest pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history and is the man who invented modern day relief pitching. That is a worthy baseball legacy. R.I.P.
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