Whitey Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitey Ford |
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Ford in 1953
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 21, 1928 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: October 8, 2020 (aged 91) Lake Success, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 1, 1950, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 21, 1967, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 236–106 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.75 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,956 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1974 | ||
| Vote | 77.81% (second ballot) | ||
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (born October 21, 1928 – died October 8, 2020) was a famous American baseball pitcher. He played his entire 16-year career with the New York Yankees. People called him "the Chairman of the Board" because he stayed calm under pressure.
Whitey Ford was a 10-time All-Star player. He also won the World Series six times with the Yankees. In 1961, he won two big awards: the Cy Young Award and the World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Ford led the American League in wins three times and in earned run average twice. He holds the Yankees' team records for career wins (236), shutouts (45), and innings pitched (3,170.3). He was added to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Ford joined the Yankees in 1947. He started playing in the major leagues in 1950. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War for two years. After that, he came back to the Yankees in 1953 and played until 1967. During his time, he set many World Series records for pitchers. These include most wins (10) and most games started (22). The Yankees honored him by retiring his uniform number 16 in 1974. They also placed a plaque for him in Monument Park in 1987. Whitey Ford passed away on October 8, 2020, at age 91.
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Early Life and Family
Whitey Ford was born in Manhattan, a part of New York City. When he was five, his family moved to Astoria in Queens. This neighborhood was only a few miles from Yankee Stadium. He went to public schools and finished high school at the Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades.
In 1951, Ford married Joan. They lived in Glen Cove, New York for a while. Together, they had two sons and one daughter.
Whitey Ford's Baseball Journey
Starting His Professional Career
The New York Yankees signed Whitey Ford in 1947. He played his entire professional career with this team. While he was still playing in the minor leagues, people started calling him "Whitey." This was because of his light blond hair.
Ford played his first Major League Baseball game on July 1, 1950. He won his first nine games as a pitcher. Even though he only pitched 112 innings, he was recognized as the Sporting News Rookie of the Year.
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Whitey Ford served in the United States Army during the Korean War in 1951 and 1952. He returned to the Yankees for the 1953 season. When he first started, he wore number 19. But after he came back from the army, he changed to number 16. He wore this number for the rest of his career.
Ford became the top pitcher for the Yankees. He was known as "the Chairman of the Board." This nickname came from his calm and confident way of pitching. He also had another nickname, "Slick." This was given to him, Billy Martin, and Mickey Mantle by their manager, Casey Stengel. Ford was a smart pitcher. He didn't have the fastest fastball. But he could throw many other pitches very well. This gave him excellent control over the ball.
Key Achievements and Awards
In 1955, Whitey Ford led the American League in complete games and wins. In 1956, he was the best in earned run average and winning percentage. He led in earned run average again in 1958. In both 1961 and 1963, he led in wins and winning percentage.
Ford won the Cy Young Award in 1961. He had a fantastic season that year. He won 25 games and only lost 4. This was his best season ever. His success in 1961 was a bit overshadowed. This was because Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing the home run record. Ford also set a record in 1961. He pitched 243 innings in a row without letting anyone steal a base.
End of His Playing Career
Whitey Ford's health started to decline near the end of his career. In August 1966, he had surgery on his throwing shoulder. In May 1967, he pitched only one inning in his last game. He announced his retirement at the end of that month. He was 38 years old.
Career Statistics and Records
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| Whitey Ford's number 16 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1974. |
Whitey Ford won 236 games for the New York Yankees. This is still a team record. His career winning percentage was .690. This is one of the best in baseball history.
His career earned run average (ERA) was 2.75. This is the third-lowest among starting pitchers since 1920. Only Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom have lower ERAs. Ford had 45 shutout victories. This means he pitched an entire game without allowing the other team to score any runs.
As a batter, Ford had a .173 batting average. He hit 3 home runs and had 69 runs batted in.
World Series and All-Star Games
Whitey Ford holds the record for most World Series victories by a pitcher, with 10 wins. He also leads in World Series losses (8) and games started (22). In 1961, he broke Babe Ruth's World Series record for consecutive scoreless innings. Ford's record reached 33.67 innings. This is still a World Series record. He won the 1961 World Series MVP Award. He was also chosen for eight American League All-Star teams.
Honors and Legacy
In 1974, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle were both voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. That same year, the Yankees retired his uniform number 16.
In 1987, the Yankees honored Ford with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Ford 52nd on its list of Baseball's Greatest Players.
A road in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was named Ford Road in his honor in 1994. In 2000, a baseball field in Astoria, Queens, was named Whitey Ford Field.
After His Playing Days
After retiring as a player, Whitey Ford stayed involved in baseball. He was the Yankees' pitching coach in 1964. He also served as the first base coach in 1968. Later, he was a pitching coach again in 1974 and 1975.
In 2008, Ford threw the first pitch at the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He also opened "Whitey Ford's Cafe," a sports-themed restaurant, in 2002.
Whitey Ford passed away on October 8, 2020, at his home in Lake Success, New York. He was 91 years old. He was watching the Yankees play a game on TV when he died. At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was also the last surviving member of the 1956 World Champion New York Yankees team.
Whitey Ford in Pop Culture
- Ford and Mickey Mantle appeared in an episode of the TV show Remington Steele in 1984.
- In 1998, the musician Everlast released a CD called Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. He also started using "Whitey Ford" as a nickname.
- Anthony Michael Hall played Whitey Ford in the 2001 HBO movie 61*. This movie was about Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's chase for the home run record in 1961.
See also
In Spanish: Whitey Ford para niños
- List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
- List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders
- TSN Pitcher of the Year (1955, 1961, 1963)
