Ted Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ted Ford |
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Ford in 1972
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 7, 1947 Vineland, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Died: September 15, 2025 (aged 78) | |||
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| debut | |||
| April 7, 1970, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1973, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .219 | ||
| Home runs | 17 | ||
| Runs batted in | 68 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Theodore Henry Ford (born February 7, 1947, died September 15, 2025), known as Ted Ford, was an American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed outfielder in Major League Baseball. Ted played for the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers during his career, from 1970 to 1973.
Contents
Ted Ford: A Baseball Story
Starting His Baseball Journey
Ted Ford began his professional baseball career after being chosen by the Cleveland Indians. He was picked 11th overall in the 1966 amateur draft. His first team was the Dubuque Packers. In 1966, he played 71 games for them. He had a batting average of .263, hit six home runs, and brought in 25 runs (RBI).
In 1967, Ted played for the Pawtucket Indians. He had 443 chances to bat, but his batting average was .210 that year.
Ted did not play baseball during the 1968 and 1969 seasons. He was serving in the military during those years.
Reaching the Major Leagues
When 1970 arrived, Ted mostly played for the Wichita Aeros. He had a great season with them, hitting .326. He also hit 12 home runs and had 57 RBI in 383 at-bats. But the most exciting part was that he started the year with the main Cleveland Indians team. On April 7, 1970, Ted made his very first appearance in Major League Baseball. He played against the Baltimore Orioles and their famous pitcher, Dave McNally. In his first game, Ted had two at-bats and also drew a walk.
In 1971, Ted split his time between the major leagues and minor leagues. For the Indians, he had 196 at-bats and a .194 batting average. Back with the Aeros, he continued to play well, hitting .330 in 176 at-bats.
Playing for the Texas Rangers
On April 3, 1972, Ted Ford moved to a new team. He was traded to the Texas Rangers. In return, the Indians received players Roy Foster and Tommy McCraw. Ted played in 129 games for the Rangers that year. He hit 14 home runs and brought in 50 runs. His batting average for the Rangers was .235. He also played a few games for the Denver Bears, hitting .222 in 36 at-bats.
Back with the Indians
Ted returned to the Cleveland Indians on May 10, 1973. This happened in another trade, with Dick Bosman also joining the Indians from the Rangers. The Rangers received Steve Dunning. In 1973, Ted played in only 11 major league games. He had 40 at-bats and a .225 batting average. His last game in the major leagues was on September 29, 1973.
Even though his time in the major leagues ended in 1973, Ted was traded again. On April 24, 1974, he went back to the Rangers in exchange for Charlie Hudson.
Ted Ford's Major League Stats
Throughout his major league career, Ted Ford played in 240 games. He had a total of 711 at-bats. During this time, he hit 17 home runs and brought in 68 runs for his teams. His overall batting average in the major leagues was .219.
Life Outside Baseball
Ted Ford passed away on September 15, 2025. He was 78 years old.
Ted was also the grandfather of another baseball player, Darren Ford. Darren made his own major league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2010.
