Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB. Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives. As such, it is important to us that the Pittsburgh Pirates have announced the second class for their franchise Hall of Fame.

Last year, the Pirates enshrined 19 former greats into their inaugural class, and we now have four former players; Dick Groat, Bob Friend, Elroy Face and Kent Tekulve will be joining them.

Groat played for Pittsburgh for nine years (1952 & 1955-62), and the Shortstop won the 1960 National League MVP in a year he anchored them to a World Series while individually winning a Batting Title. An All-Star six times with Pittsburgh, he batted .290 with 1,435 Hits for the team.

Face played for the Pirates for 15 seasons (1953 & 1955-68), where the pitcher’s career was instrumental in discussing the evolution of relief Pitching. A member of Pittsburgh’s 1960 World Series Champions, Face led the NL in Saves three times, Games Finished four times and was a six-time All-Star. He compiled 186 Saves with a 100-93 Record for the Pirates.

Friend was also a key member of Pittsburgh’s 1960 World Series squad. The Starting Pitcher went to four All-Star Games, won the 1955 ERA Title, and played 15 of his 16 Years with the Pirates. He has a record of 191-128 and 1,682 Strikeouts with Pittsburgh.

Tekulve was Pittsburgh’s closer during their 1979 World Series win. The bespectacled hurler had 158 Saves and 470 Games Finished for the Pirates.

The four players will be officially inducted in a pre-game ceremony on August 26 before their game against the Chicago Cubs.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the Pittsburgh Pirates for earning this impending honor.

Hoyt Wilhelm generally receives credit for being the game's first great reliever.  History may eventually show that Wilhelm was not the only prototype for relievers, asRoy Facedeserves to be considered in that discussion too.

Roy Face was the first pitcher to record twenty saves in a season (1958).  He would lead the senior circuit in that category three times.  Roy Face still holds the record for the highest winning percentage in a season with a whopping .947 (18 wins to 1 loss in 1959).  Face used his forkball to get Pirate teams out of jam after jam and racked up multiple wins, and saves all in a relieving role.  

Face was easily the top relief pitcher for over a decade, helping Pittsburgh win the 1960 World Series and finishing 547 Games with 186 Saves as a Pirate.  He might be one of the most influential hurlers ever.

Hoyt Wilhelm generally receives credit for being the game’s first great reliever.  History may eventually show that Wilhelm was not the only prototype for relievers as Roy Face deserves to be considered in that discussion too.