October 15, 2021

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Elroy Face is holding his own, he’s able to eat a little bit, do a bit of walking and watch some baseball playoff games as he remains in a Pittsburgh hospital, waging a tough battle against COVID-19.

The oldest surviving Expos player at 93 and one of baseball’s best relief pitchers in the 1950s and 1960s was admitted to emergency more than a week ago.

"He had congestion. He felt like he had a bit of flu and cold symptoms,'' Face's daughter Michelle Battocchi told this reporter in the first interview the Face family has granted. "He felt achy. He was not feeling good at all.

"He didn't know he had COVID until he got to hospital. He's been double vaccinated. He has no idea how he got COVID really. The first thing they do in emergency is they check you for COVID and he tested positive.''

Battocchi said the normal quarantine period for patients in Pittsburgh is 10 days, adding her dad is "not about to leave'' hospital. When the 10 days is up, family members, one at a time, will be allowed to go and visit him.

So far, Michelle, her sister Valerie and brother Elroy Jr. have talked with him on the phone and delivered food for him to the hospital's information desk.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed it's going to be okay,'' Michelle said. "Everything looks positive. He's just worn out. It's an exhausting thing. He has been able to do a little walking. You have to keep moving a little bit.''

Despite his advanced age, Face had been living on his own in suburban Pittsburgh and kept an active lifestyle, playing a little golf, meeting frequently with friends, handling autograph requests by mail and attending the occasional autograph event.

"He's a pretty active guy. It's probably made a big difference in his condition. It probably could have been a lot worse if he was not active,'' his daughter said. “He’s sounding like himself. He’s still watching the baseball games. He’s still into it. He will be 94 soon (Feb. 28).’’

Face appeared in 44 games for the 1969 Expos as a short reliever, going 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA and 11 home runs allowed. He was released Aug. 15 and never pitched in the majors again.

The Bullpen Baron, as he was called, is best known for his tenure of close to 15 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was 18-1 in 1959 and accumulated 191 career saves and there has been talk he should be considered a candidate by the veterans committee for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Keep up the fight, Elroy. Expos fans have you in their thoughts and prayers.