Fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates are mourning Elroy Face, who passed away recently at the age of 97.
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The Major League Baseball (MLB) team announced the news and said that Face, a member of the team's Hall of Fame, died on Feb. 20, eight days shy of his 98th birthday.
Face, a Pennsylvania native, made his MLB debut with the Pirates during the 1953 season. He spent 15 years with the team, one with Montreal, and part of one with Detroit
The longtime pitcher was not the man who kicked off the first inning. According to Baseball Reference, he only started 27 of the 848 games in which he appeared. However, he finished 574 games. This includes leading the league in games finished in 1958, 1960, 1961, and 1962.
Face delivered 877 strikeouts during his career with only two balks and only 32 wild pitches. He struck out four batters during the 1960 playoffs, which ended with the Pirates winning the World Series. He also only allowed nine hits compared to 41 batters faced.
Face is the Pirates' record-holder in appearances with 802. He is also the National League record-holder for most games won in relief (96). He went 18-1 as a relief pitcher in 1959, which set a Major League record.
"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," said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting 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 with his induction into the Pirates Hall of Fame.
"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, leading the league in appearances and recording three saves against the Yankees.
"Our thoughts are with his three children — Michelle, Valerie and Elroy Jr. — and his sister Jacqueline."
