Whitey Ford

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ford signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and made his major league debut in 1950. Following a two-year sojourn to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War, Ford returned to the Yankees in 1953 and pitched for them until retiring in 1967. During his tenure with the team, Ford set numerous World Series pitching records, including consecutive scoreless innings (33), wins (10), games started (22), innings pitched (146), and strikeouts (94). The Yankees retired his uniform number 16 in 1974 and dedicated a plaque in his honor in Monument Park in 1987. Ford served as the Yankees pitching coach in 1964 while still a player and from 1974 to 1975 after retiring. He also served as the team's first base coach in 1968. In the wake of Yogi Berra's death in 2015, George Vecsey of The New York Times suggested that Ford was now "The Greatest Living Yankee". Ford died on October 8, 2020, at the age of 91.

In Their Own Story

In 1961, Ford won the Cy Young Award with a career-best 25–4 record, but his season was overshadowed by the home run battle between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. As a left-hander with an excellent pick-off move, Ford was also deft at keeping runners at their base: He set a record in 1961 by pitching 243 consecutive innings without allowing a stolen base. In May 1963, after pitching a shutout, Ford announced he had given up smoking. He said, "My doctor told me that whenever I think of smoking, I should think of a bus starting up and blowing the exhaust in my face." After retiring, Ford admitted in interviews to having occasionally doctored baseballs. Examples were the "mudball," used at home in Yankee Stadium. Yankee groundskeepers would wet down an area near the catcher's box where the Yankee catcher Elston Howard was positioned; pretending to lose balance, Howard would put down his hand with the ball and coat one side of the ball with mud and throw it to Ford. Ford also engaged in ball scuffing, sometimes used the diamond in his wedding ring to gouge the ball, but he was eventually caught by an umpire and warned to stop. Howard sharpened a buckle on his shinguard and used it to scuff the ball. Ford described his illicit behavior as a concession to age: "I didn't begin cheating until late in my career when I needed something to help me survive. I didn't cheat when I won the twenty-five games in 1961. I don't want anybody to get any ideas and take my Cy Young Award away. And I didn't cheat in 1963 when I won twenty-four games. Well, maybe a little." Ford admitted to doctoring the ball in the 1961 All-Star Game at Candlestick Park to strike out Willie Mays. Ford and Mantle had accumulated $1,200 ($12,772 today) in golf pro shop purchases as guests of Horace Stoneham at the Giants owner's country club. Stoneham promised to pay their tab if Ford could strike out Mays. "What was that all about?" Mays asked. "I'm sorry, Willie, but I had to throw you a spitter," Ford replied.

Reader's Guide

Ford was born in Manhattan. At age five, he moved to the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. He attended public schools and graduated from the Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades. In 1951, Ford married Joan Foran at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Astoria. They lived in Glen Cove, New York on Long Island for a period during the 1950s, and had two sons and a daughter together. Ford was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and played his entire career with them. While still in the minor leagues, he was nicknamed "Whitey" for his light blond hair. Ford began his MLB career on July 1, 1950, with the Yankees. He won his first nine decisions before losing a game in relief. Ford received a handful of lower-ballot MVP votes despite throwing just 112 innings, and won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award. During the Korean War era, in 1951 and 1952, Ford served in the United States Army. He rejoined the Yankees for the 1953 season. Ford wore number 19 in his rookie season, but upon his return he changed to number 16. He became known as the "Chairman of the Board" for his ability to remain calm and in command during high-pressure situations. He was also known as "Slick", a nickname given to him, Billy Martin, and Mickey Mantle by manager Casey Stengel. Ford led the AL in complete games and games won in 1955; in 1956 in earned run average and winning percentage; in 1958 in earned run average; and in both 1961 and 1963 in games won and winning percentage. Ford won the Cy Young Award in 1961. In May 1963, after pitching a shutout, Ford announced he had given up smoking. Ford ended his career in declining health. In August 1966, he underwent surgery to correct a circulatory problem in his throwing shoulder. In May 1967, Ford lasted just one inning in what would be his final start, and he announced his retirement at the end of the month at age 38. After retiring, Ford admitted in interviews to having occasionally doctored baseballs. Examples were the "mudball", used at home in Yankee Stadium. Ford also engaged in ball scuffing, sometimes used the diamond in his wedding ring to gouge the ball, but he was eventually caught by an umpire and warned to stop. Howard sharpened a buckle on his shinguard and used it to scuff the ball. Ford admitted to doctoring the ball in the 1961 All-Star Game at Candlestick Park to strike out Willie Mays. Ford a

Did You Know?

• Ford is tied with Dave Foutz for the fourth-best winning percentage in baseball history at .690.
• His 2.75 earned run average is the third-lowest among starting pitchers whose careers began after the advent of the live-ball era in 1920.
• Ford's worst earned run average in a single season was 3.24.
• He appeared on eight AL All-Star teams between 1954 and 1964, going 0-2 with an 8.25 ERA in the All-Star game.
• Ford had 10 World Series victories, more than any other pitcher, and also leads all starters in World Series losses (8) and starts (22).