PITTSBURGH – Elroy Face, an All-Star reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates who saved three games in the 1960 World Series to help them upset the New York Yankees, has died. He was 97.

In a news release Thursday, the Pirates announced they confirmed Face’s death.

kAm%62> 9:DE@C:2? y:> %C5:?:49 D2:5 E96 4=F3 H2D 4@?E24E65 3J u246VD D@?[ t=C@J yC][ 2?5 :?7@C>65 E96 7@C>6C A:E496C 5:65 62C=:6C 😕 E96 52J 2E 2? :?56A6?56?E D6?:@C =:G:?8 724:=:EJ @FED:56 !:EED3FC89 😕 }@CE9 ‘6CD2:==6D[ !6??DJ=G2?:2]k^Am

kAm}@ 42FD6 @7 562E9 H2D AC@G:565] u246 H2D 6:89E 52JD D9J @7 9:D hgE9 3:CE952J]k^Am

kAm“xE 😀 H:E9 962GJ 962CED 2?5 566A D25?6DD E92E H6 >@FC? E96 A2DD:?8 @7 !:C2E6D w2== @7 u2>6C t=C@J u246[ 2 36=@G65 >6>36C @7 E96 !:C2E6D 72>:=J[” E62> 492:C>2? q@3 }FEE:?8 D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am

kAm“t=C@J H2D 2 A:@?66C @7 E96 >@56C? C6=:67 A:E496C — E96 ‘q2C@? @7 E96 qF==A6?’ — 2?5 96 A=2J65 2 4C:E:42= C@=6 😕 @FC `he_ (@C=5 $6C:6D 492>A:@?D9:A]Qk^Am

kAm$6=64E65 E@ D:I p==\$E2C E62>D[ u246 H6?E `_c\hd H:E9 2 b]cg t#p 😕 `e >2;@C =628F6 D62D@?D H:E9 !:EED3FC89 W`hdb\egX[ s6EC@:E W`hegX 2?5 |@?EC62= W`hehX] w6 A:E4965 😕 gcg 82>6D[ DE2CE:?8 @?=J af[ 2?5 4@>A:=65 `h` 42C66C D2G6D — 2=E9@F89 D2G6D 5:5?VE 364@>6 2? @77:4:2= DE2E:DE:4 F?E:= `heh]k^Am

kAm%96 d\7@@E\g C:89E\92?56C 9@=5D E96 }2E:@?2= {628F6 C64@C5 7@C H:?D 😕 C6=:67 H:E9 he 2?5 E96 >2;@C =628F6 >2C< 7@C C6=:67 H:?D 😕 @?6 D62D@? 27E6C 8@:?8 `g\` H:E9 2 a]f_ t#p 😕 `hdh]k^Am

kAmw6 E@AA65 E96 }2E:@?2= {628F6 H:E9 eg 2AA62C2?46D 2?5 e` 82>6D 7:?:D965 😕 `he_[ H96? E96 F?56C5@8 !:C2E6D DEF??65 |:4<6J |2?E=6[ *@8: q6CC2 2?5 E96 >:89EJ *2?<66D @? q:== |2K6C@D<:VD 72>@FD 9@>6 CF? E92E H@? v2>6 f @7 E96 (@C=5 $6C:6D 2E u@C36D u:6=5 😕 !:EED3FC89]k^Am

kAmu246 >256 7@FC C6=:67 2AA62C2?46D 😕 E96 $6C:6D[ A@DE:?8 2 d]ab t#p 😕 `_ `^b :??:?8D] w6 4=@D65 @FE !:C2E6D H:?D 😕 v2>6D `[ c 2?5 d]k^Am

kAmx?5F4E65 :?E@ E96 !:C2E6D w2== @7 u2>6 😕 a_ab[ 96 😀 E96 4=F3VD 42C66C =6256C 😕 2AA62C2?46D H:E9 g_a] p?5 E96 E62> ?@E65 E92E :7 D2G6D 925 366? 2? @77:4:2= DE2E 367@C6 `heh[ 96 2=D@ H@F=5 9@=5 E92E 7C2?49:D6 C64@C5 H:E9 `gg]k^Am

kAmu246 H2D 3@C? 😕 $E6A96?E@H?[ }6H *@C<[ @? u63] a_[ `hag] w6 😀 DFCG:G65 3J 9:D E9C66 49:=5C6?[ |:496==6[ ‘2=6C:6 2?5 t=C@J yC][ 2?5 9:D D:DE6C y24BF6=:?6[ E96 !:C2E6D D2:5]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^|{qQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^|{qk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.