The aging Stengel, who was fired after the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series in 7 games to Pittsburgh, may have sealed his own fate that October when he bypassed Ford as his starter in Game 1. The Yankees split the first two video games at Forbes Field and Ford, whom Stengel held back to pitch the very first game at Yankee Stadium, tossed a nothing in Game 3. The Yankees divided the next two games and Ford again locked out the Pirates in Game 6. But he was a viewer in Game 7 as the Yankees fell, 10-9, on Bill Mazeroskis walk-off crowning achievement in the ninth.
Ford, who retired midway through the 1967 season due to a blood circulation problem in his pitching arm that surgeries failed to remedy, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, his second year of eligibility. Waiting that additional year for his enshrinement after failing by 29 votes enabled Ford to go into the Hall alongside previous colleague, close pal and late-night running mate Mickey Mantle.
Fighting arm injuries, Ford would go a combined 4-9 in 1966 and 67. He walked off the Tiger Stadium mound after the very first inning during a May video game that final season and kept right on going. Call you when I get home.
Edward Charles Ford– his nickname was given to him by previous big-league pitcher Lefty Gomez, his first minors supervisor– was born in Manhattan on Oct. 21, 1928. An only child, he moved with his moms and dads– his father worked for Con Edison– to 34th Avenue in Astoria, Queens at the age of 4. Growing up in that area, which Ford explained as a mix of second-generation Irish, Polish and italian families, was a kid a few years older who liked to sing named Anthony Benedetto. He d later on make his name and fortune as Tony Bennett.
While supervisor Casey Stengel was protective of his ace, never ever pitching Ford more than 255 innings at a time when personnel aces consistently tossed more than 275 innings per season, Ralph Houk, who succeeded Stengel in 1961, had no such qualms. The previous Yankees catcher assured he would pitch his former teammate every 4th day– as was the customized at the time– and the lefty reacted with the best season of his profession. He went 25-4 and won his only Cy Young award in 1961.
Ford spent the next 2 seasons in the Army, losing out on two world championships, however returned in 1953 to assist the Yankees win their record 5th consecutive World Series. He went 18-6 that season then averaged 15 wins a season over the next 7 years.
Nicknamed “the Chairman of the Board” by teammate Elston Howard for his calm temperament in pressure situations, Ford invested his whole 16-year profession with the Yankees for whom he went 236-106. The Yankees signed the left-hander out of high school in 1947 for $7,000, outbidding the crosstown Giants and the Boston Red Sox.
” I consider myself really lucky to have made my living in baseball,” stated Ford, who didnt truly end up being a pitcher till after he failed to get a ball out of the infield while batting during a tryout at Yankee Stadium. If he had actually ever pitched, a Yankee scout in presence quickly– and presciently– asked Ford.
Ford, whose No. 16 was retired by the Yankees in 1974, is endured by his better half, Joan, son, Edward, and child, Sally Ann. His youngest child, Thomas, passed away of a heart disease in 1999.
The Yankees won the World Series in 1961 and 1962, however lost to the Dodgers and Cardinals, respectively, the next 2 Octobers before the bottom dropped out on the dynasty. However even throughout that 1965 season when the Yankees tape-recorded their very first losing season given that 1925 and completed in sixth place in the 10-team American League, Ford went 16-13.
While manager Casey Stengel was protective of his ace, never pitching Ford more than 255 innings at a time when personnel aces regularly tossed more than 275 innings per season, Ralph Houk, who succeeded Stengel in 1961, had no such qualms. The aging Stengel, who was fired after the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series in 7 games to Pittsburgh, may have sealed his own fate that October when he bypassed Ford as his starter in Game 1. The Yankees divided the very first two video games at Forbes Field and Ford, whom Stengel held back to pitch the very first video game at Yankee Stadium, tossed a nothing in Game 3. The Yankees split the next two video games and Ford once again shut out the Pirates in Game 6. Whitey Ford circa 1960Getty Images” It was the only time I ever got mad at Casey,” Ford stated in his 1987 autobiography “Slick,” written with Phil Pepe.
In his autobiography Ford revealed what had actually long been suspected, that he doctored baseballs to gain a benefit as his abilities started to deteriorate. He d use spit and dirt or deface the balls with a specially created ring, his belt buckle or a cooperative catchers shin guard
A 21-year-old Ford showed up in The Bronx in 1950, a year ahead of Mantle, and right away made his mark. In July of that year he joined a rotation filled with veterans Vic Raschi, Eddie Lopat, Allie Reynolds and Tommy Byrne and went 9-1 with a 2.81 ERA while finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year ballot. He started Game 4 of the World Series that October, tape-recording a 5-2 victory over the Phillies to complete the sweep.
“I didnt cheat when I won the 25 games in 1961. … And I didnt cheat in 1963 when I won 21 video games.
When he retired, Ford held a fistful of Fall Classic records, consisting of most video games pitched (22 ), innings pitched (146 ), wins (10 ), and strikeouts (94 ). He also had a streak of 33 ²/ ₃ successive scoreless World Series innings.
Ford stated he constantly was sorry for never ever going to college and getting an education.
Whitey Ford, who pitched the Yankees to 11 American League pennants and 6 World Series champions in the 1950s and 60s and who still holds the highest winning portion (.690) among all modern-day significant league pitchers with a minimum of 150 wins, passed away Thursday night at his Long Island home. He was 91.
Ford participated in the Manhattan School for Aviation Trades because Bryant, his regional high school, didnt have a baseball group and having already established himself as a pretty fair very first baseman he desired to play ball.
Ford and Mantle, who stayed buddies till Mantles death in 1995, were in the middle of among the most remarkable off-field events in Yankee history. During the 1957 season, they were among a group of Yankees who went to the Copacabana nightclub in Midtown to celebrate Billy Martins birthday. A battle broke out amongst a few of the Yankees and the members of a bowling group seated at a nearby table.
Stengel was fired days later and Ford always thought the Yankees would have won that World Series had he been permitted to start 3 games. He may have had a point.
Whitey Ford circa 1960Getty Images” It was the only time I ever got mad at Casey,” Ford said in his 1987 autobiography “Slick,” composed with Phil Pepe. “I felt I need to have started that game so I might pitch 3 times if it was essential. … Casey had this aspect of saving me for Yankee Stadium to take advantage of the huge location in left field and left-center, Death Valley to right-handed hitters. … I was so irritated at Stengel, I would not talk to him on the aircraft ride back to New York.”
” There actually was no earthly reason for me to be at Manhattan Aviation,” Ford said. “I wasnt a great student and I wasnt an excellent mechanic. … I believe the only factor I graduated was that I never missed a day of school and among the reasons I didnt miss school was that I wanted to stay qualified to play baseball.”
Whitey Fords plaque in Monument Park at Yankee StadiumGetty ImagesNo charges were submitted, although Ford said he, Martin and Mantle were each fined $1,000 by Yankees basic supervisor George Weiss for their involvement in the event. A month later, Martin– deemed a bad influence on his two considerably more skilled teammates– was traded to Kansas City.
