1957 Topps #166 Roy Face
About Roy Face
ElRoy Leon "Roy" Face (1928-2026) was a right-handed relief pitcher who helped pioneer the modern closer role, almost entirely with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1949, he was drafted by Branch Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers and then, again by Rickey, to Pittsburgh, debuting for the Pirates in 1953. Riding a devastating forkball, he earned six All-Star selections from 1959 to 1961. In 1959 he went a remarkable 18-1 out of the bullpen, a .947 winning percentage that remains the highest single-season mark ever for a pitcher. In the 1960 World Series he became the first pitcher to save three games in a single Fall Classic (Games 1, 4, and 5) as the Pirates upset the Yankees. He won the 1962 Sporting News Fireman of the Year Award and finished with 802 games pitched, 193 saves, and 104 wins over a career that also included stops with Detroit (1968) and Montreal (1969). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Jack Hernon nicknamed him "The Baron of the Bullpen." A Pirates Hall of Famer, Face was never enshrined in Cooperstown.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 530 | 0 | 18 | 180 | 145 | 106 | 45 | 36 | 0 |
| SGC | 49 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-05. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1957 Topps Roy Face card?
It is card #166 of the 1957 Topps Baseball set - the 407-card, 2-1/2 by 3-1/2 inch set that was Topps' first at the modern standard card size, with full-color photography and complete career stats on the back. It pictures Roy Face, Pittsburgh Pirates.
How many cards are in the 1957 Topps set?
407 numbered cards. Collectors usually count 408 because #176 Gene Baker exists in an error ('Bakep') and a corrected back. The PSA master set adds the 8 checklists, 4 contest cards and the Lucky Penny for 421 items.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Beckett, BaseballCardPedia, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (Net54 / Topps Archives). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-13.