Overview
- The Pirates confirmed Face died on Feb. 12 in North Versailles, Pennsylvania, eight days before his 98th birthday, and no cause of death was disclosed.
- Chairman Bob Nutting praised the “Baron of the Bullpen,” and MLB shared condolences; he is survived by his children Michelle, Valerie and Elroy Jr., and his sister Jacqueline.
- A key figure in the Pirates’ 1960 title, Face recorded saves in Games 1, 4 and 5 of the World Series against the Yankees.
- Across 16 MLB seasons with Pittsburgh, Detroit and Montreal, he went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA in 848 games and was credited with 191 saves.
- He remains the Pirates’ career leader in appearances (802) and holds the National League record for relief wins (96), including an 18-1 season in 1959; the team notes he would lead the franchise in saves (188) had the stat been official before 1969.