Roy Face

ElRoy Leon Face (February 20, 1928 – February 12, 2026), nicknamed "The Baron of the Bullpen", was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1969, almost entirely for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he made the forkball pitch famous. A pioneer of modern relief pitching in the archetype of what came to be known as the closer, he was the standard for National League relievers at the time of his retirement and set numerous records along the way. While Face stood only 5 ft 7½ in (1.71 m) and weighed 150 pounds (68 kg), he overcame any physical shortcomings with a bulldog mentality, rubber arm and forkball that was the talk of baseball. The diminutive reliever also relied on consistent control of his pitches, which he said came naturally but teammates attributed to hard work. A converted starter, Face held the National League records for career games pitched (846) from 1967 to 1986 and career saves (191) from 1962 to 1982. He still owns the NL record for career wins in relief (96) and held the league mark for career innings pitched in relief ( ) until 1983. Upon retirement, Face ranked second to Hoyt Wilhelm in saves in major league history and third in games pitched behind Wilhelm and Cy Young. He is the all-time leader in games pitched (802) and saves (188) in Pirates history.…

ElRoy Leon Face (February 20, 1928 – February 12, 2026), nicknamed "The Baron of the Bullpen", was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1969, almost entirely for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he made the forkball pitch famous. A pioneer of modern relief pitching in the archetype of what came to be known as the closer, he was the standard for National League relievers at the time of his retirement and set numerous records along the way. While Face stood only 5 ft 7½ in (1.71 m) and weighed 150 pounds (68 kg), he overcame any physical shortcomings with a bulldog mentality, rubber arm and forkball that was the talk of baseball. The diminutive reliever also relied on consistent control of his pitches, which he said came naturally but teammates attributed to hard work. A converted starter, Face held the National League records for career games pitched (846) from 1967 to 1986 and career saves (191) from 1962 to 1982. He still owns the NL record for career wins in relief (96) and held the league mark for career innings pitched in relief ( ) until 1983. Upon retirement, Face ranked second to Hoyt Wilhelm in saves in major league history and third in games pitched behind Wilhelm and Cy Young. He is the all-time leader in games pitched (802) and saves (188) in Pirates history. Face played a lead role for the upstart Pirates in their victory over the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series, when he became the first pitcher to save as many as three games in a Fall Classic. He recorded three seasons of 20 or more saves at a time when their statistical requirements were stricter than in later years. In addition, Face was the first major leaguer to save 20 games more than once. He led the league three times and also finished second thrice. Throughout his career, Face's first name often appeared as Elroy or shortened to Roy in written form. The official spelling was ElRoy as confirmed by his signature, for which the popular ex-Pirate fulfilled numerous requests even in retirement.

Career

Articles

Abrams, Al. "Sidelights on Sports: Man Nine Feet Tall". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 18, 1959. Abrams, Al. "Bucs' Smith, Face Make Vocal Hit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 18, 1960. Abrams, Al. "Sidelights on Sports: Don't Count ElRoy Out". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 3, 1962. Abrams, Al. "Sidelights On Sports: The Face Nobody Wanted". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 9, 1969. Abrams, Al. "Sidelights On Sports: Potpourri". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 25, 1970. Babic, George. "Joe Page Helped Bullpen Baron: He Taught Him to Use and Control Forkball". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 10, 1962. Biederman, Lester J. "The Scoreboard: Face Laughs Off Rumors of Battle with Clemente; No Truth to Story Roberto Cut My Hand with Knife, Roy Says". The Pittsburgh Press. June 4, 1959. Biederman, Lester J. "The Scoreboard: Here's Summary of 14 Straight Won By Roy Face". The Pittsburgh Press. July 19, 1959. Biederman, Lester J. "The Scoreboard: Roy Face Has Won 8 of 15 Games in Extra Innings". The Pittsburgh Press. August 11, 1959. Biederman, Lester J. "The Scoreboard: It's Matter of Gripping Ball to Make It Do Fancy Things; Face, Friend, Law, Haddix, Green Demonstrate Styles". The Pittsburgh Press. July 3, 1960. Biederman, Lester J. "Pirate Pitching Makes Difference: Bucs Gain All-Star Raves--Especially Friend, Face, Law". The Pittsburgh Press. July 12, 1960. Biederman, Lester J. "Roy Face Agrees to Small Pay Cut; Pirate Bullpen Baron 6-12 in '61, Pitched in 371 Games in Last 6 Years". The Pittsburgh Press. January 24, 1962. Brody, Tom C. "The Fork Ball and Roy Face". Sports Illustrated. June 24, 1963. Cernkovic, Rudy. "Roy Face Swinging Hammer". The Beaver County Times. UPI. December 8, 1965. Cope, Myron. "Virdon 'Showing' Yanks' Casey". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 10, 1960. pp. 24 and 28 ("Icy-nerved Elroy Face..."). Cope, Myron. "Roy Face Ready to Pitch Again; He'll Start if Needed, He Asserts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 11, 1960. pp. 22 and 24. Cope, Myron. "The Pitching Explosion in Paradise". Sports Illustrated. June 24, 1963. Esper, George. "Fireman Face Puts Out 24th for Murtaugh". The Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. September 10, 1958. Feeney, Charley. "Mazeroski, Face Sign '67 Pacts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 20, 1967. Feeney, Charley. "Face Retire? Not When One Feels Young At 39". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 25, 1967. Feeney, Charley. "Life 'Begins' for Face". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 20, 1968. Feeney, Charley. "ElRoy Wins 2nd In Tight Relief; Bunning Injured; Montreal Kayos Ron Kline, Comes From Behind for Win; Face Kills Threats in 8th, 9th". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 2, 1969. Feeney, Charley. "Face Becomes an Insurance Man (For Detroit's Pennant Hopes)". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 2, 1968. pp. 69 and 71. Heimbuecher, Ruth. "It's Relief to Have Handyman Face Around Home; Wife Jeanne Proud of Elroy's Carpentry, Pitching Talents". The Pittsburgh Press. June 29, 1960. Hernon, Jack. "Pirates Take Three Pitchers in Draft; Face, Hetki, Hall Taken By Rickey". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 2, 1952. Hernon, Jack. "Cards Win In Tenth, 4-3. Hand Kline 15th Loss; Bucs Beat Selves On Basepaths; Ron Relieves Face in Ninth When Blister Bothers Roy". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 27, 1957. Hernon, Jack. "Roamin' Around: A Few Lines About the Baron". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 13, 1959. Hernon, Jack. "Oh, My! How Sweet This Is! Bucs Beat Yanks, 3-2, To Even World Series; Law, Face and Virdon Standouts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 10, 1960. pp. 1, 24 and 28. Hernon, Jack. "Pirates Sign Roy Face At Salary Slash; 'Bullpen Baron' Finished 1963 With 3-9 Record". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 24, 1964. Hoak, Don. "Tiger Looks At Series: Tough Mr. Elroy Has 'Em Cowed". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 11, 1960. pp 22 and 24. Kiersh, Edward. "Ex-Buc Face Finds Carpentry Provides Relief (Where Have You Gone, Vince DiMaggio?)". The Pittsburgh Press. April 14, 1983. Latham, Roger. "Face Pitching In Business: Buc Reliever Buys Motel, Fishing Site". The Pittsburgh Press. June 18, 1961. Sect. 1, pp. 1 and 18. Lawrence, David L. "Lawrence Casts Vote For Bucs' Face; Governor Also High in Praise of Manager Murtaugh for Strategy in Game". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 11, 1960. Livingston, Pat. "The Press Box: Philly Scribe Finds Delightful Turmoil in Buc Dressing Room; Roy Face Talks in Reverse". The Pittsburgh Press. April 30, 1960. McHugh, Roy. "The Press Box: Roy Face's Face Is Getting Familiar; He Has a Public". The Pittsburgh Press. June 30, 1959. "About Face: He's Gone". The Montreal Gazette. August 16, 1969. Olan, Ben (AP; uncredited). "Pirates' Elroy No Mere 'Face' In the Crowd; He's Major League's Top Relief Artist". St. Petersburg Times. July 5, 1959. (A shorter version of this article was published under Olan's byline in The Milwaukee Sentinel.) "Face Cuts Hand, Sidelined". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 21, 1959. "Face Wins Coveted Dapper Dan Award: Face Beats Out Haddix, Will Be Feted February 7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 18, 1959. "Face Signs 13th Contract With Pirates: Knee Operation Extends Career of Relief Hurler". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 20, 1966. "Roy Face Released by Tigers; Former Pirate Relief Pitcher Victim of Trim". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 4, 1969. "Long Wait Ends: Saga of Face's Move to Expos". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 28, 1969. "Bobby Bragan, ElRoy Face and Bob Clemente Jubilate". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Associated Press. July 22, 1956. "Pirate Leaders". Rocky Mountain Telegram. UPI. May 23, 1960. "Face: Not Going to Lose". The Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 9, 1959. Shields, Nancy. "Baseball Lore: ElRoy Face strikes her as a savior, then and now". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 26, 2014. Smith, Chester. "Second All-Star Game Cheapen s Spectacle; Making Event Road Show Will Rob Contest of Much of Its Glamour; Face-Clemente Rumors Fly". The Pittsburgh Press. June 4, 1959. Smith, Chester. "June's Bustin' Out All Over So Watch for Developments; Brito and Marchetti a Hungry Pair of Ends". The Pittsburgh Press. June 7, 1959. "Tigers Buy Roy Face for Drive". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Associated Press. September 1, 1968. Terrell, Roy. "Seven Bold Bucs". Sports Illustrated. October 10, 1960. Willson, Brad. "Press Box: Tigers Bought $100,000 Worth of 'Insurance'". The Daytona Beach Morning Journal. September 6, 1968.

Books

Finoli, David (2016). "Roy Face". The 50 Greatest Players in Pittsburgh Pirates History. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing. pp. 113–118. . Heiman, Jim (1990). When the Cheering Stops: Ex-Major Leaguers Talk About Their Game and Their Lives. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company. pp. 171–185. . Heyde, Jack (2004). "ElRoy Face: North Versailles, PA; April, 1999". Pop Flies and Line Drives: Visits with Players from Baseball's Golden Era. Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing. pp. 65–67. . Neary, Kevin (2013). Closer: Major League Players Reveal the Inside Pitch on Saving the Game. Philadelphia, PA: Running Press. pp. 14–19. . O'Brien, Jim (1993). "ElRoy Face: The Baron of the Bullpen". Maz and the '60 Bucs: When Pittsburgh And Its Pirates Went All the Way. Pittsburgh, PA: James P. O'Brien Publishing. pp. 296–297, 298–299, 300–301, 302–303, 304–305, 306–307, 308–309, 310–311, 312–313. . O'Brien, Jim (1994). "ElRoy Face: Always a carpenter at heart". Remember Roberto: Clemente Recalled By Teammates, Family, Friends and Fans. Pittsburgh, PA: James P. O'Brien Publishing. pp. 156–157, 158-159, 160-161, 162-163, 164-165, 166. . Shalin, Mike (2002). Out by a Step: The 100 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing. pp. 248–250. .

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