Alva Review-Courier -

As we have seen, no pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB) has compiled a record of 20 wins and zero losses in a year. Such an accomplishment would certainly constitute a “perfect season” in the minds of most baseball fans.

The most wins without a loss is 12-0 by Tom Zachary in 1929. The fewest losses by a 20-game winner is three, accomplished by six pitchers.

Several athletes have come close to surpassing those marks. In 1995, two future Hall of Fame members – Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson – almost got to 20 wins with only two losses.

Maddux, toiling for the Atlanta Braves, finished that season with a stellar 19-2 record, Meanwhile, Johnson, of the Seattle Mariners, attained a win-loss mark of 18-2.

One pitcher who almost broke Zachary’s record was Johnny Allen. Pitching for the Cleveland Indians in 1937, Allen won his first 15 decisions before losing on the last day of the season to finish with a 15-1 record!

And then there is Elroy Face, who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 15 of his 16 MLB seasons. In one of those years – 1959 – Face came extremely close to having the elusive perfect season.

Face was 25 years old when he finally reached the major leagues in 1953. After a lackluster performance, however, he found himself back in the minor leagues the next year.

Brought up to the Pirates again in 1955, Face became one of the greatest relief pitchers in MLB history. He often entered games in the late innings and pitched until they were over (becoming known as a “closer”).

In 1959 Face kept winning until, by the end of August, he had a record of 17-0. Unfortunately, he lost his next decision and then won one more, finishing at 18-1. That mark gives him the best seasonal winning percentage (.947) for any pitcher with 15 or more decisions.

Face almost had a perfect season in 1959 but, like every other pitcher who has come close, he did not quite make it!