Pitcher, New
York Yankees
Age: 32
10th
season with Yankees
Bats – Left,
Throws – Left
Height: 5’10” Weight: 178
Prior to 1961:
A New York City
native, Ford played first base in high school at the Manhattan School of
Aviation Trades, becoming a pitcher during his junior year. Pitching for a
neighborhood semipro team after high school, he drew the attention of major
league scouts and signed with the Yankees for $7000. Initially assigned to
Butler of the Class C Middle Atlantic League in 1947, Ford appeared in 24 games
and went 13-4 with a 3.84 ERA. Having added some weight to his slight frame, he moved on to Norfolk
of the Class B Piedmont League in 1948 where he compiled a 16-8 record with a
2.58 ERA and 171 strikeouts, which led the league. Ford played winter ball in
Mexico and, in addition to adding a change-up to his repertoire, he contracted a
severe case of dysentery. He moved up to the Binghamton Triplets of the Class A
Eastern League in 1949 and compiled a 16-5 record with a 1.61 ERA and 151
strikeouts. The cocky 20-year-old was eager to join the Yankees but started the
1950 season with the Kansas City Blues of the Class AAA American Association.
Having produced a 6-3 record with a 3.22 ERA by the end of June, he was
promoted to the Yankees, where the light-haired blond received his nickname of
“Whitey” on his way to a 9-1 tally in 20 games, with a 2.81 ERA and 59
strikeouts over 112 innings pitched. He picked up another win in the World
Series to nail down a sweep of the Phillies. He was drafted into the Army after
the season and missed all of 1951 and ’52. Returning to the Yankees in 1953,
Ford regained his spot in the starting rotation and went 18-6 with a 3.00 ERA
and 110 strikeouts. He was 0-1 in two World Series starts against Brooklyn.
Despite a slow start in 1954, he was an All-Star selection for the first time
on his way to a 16-8 record and 2.82 ERA with 125 strikeouts. He acquired a
second nickname from manager Casey Stengel, who referred to him along with teammates
Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin as “Slick” due to their carousing together and
being “city slick”. The Yankees, who fell to second place in ’54 despite
winning 103 games, regained the top spot in the AL in 1955 and Ford contributed
an 18-7 record with a 2.63 ERA, 18 complete games, and 137 strikeouts. He was
2-0 in the World Series that was ultimately lost to the Dodgers. Following a
6-0 start in 1956, Ford was slowed by hand and shoulder injuries but still
ended up with a 19-6 record and league-leading 2.47 ERA. He again totaled 18
complete games, although he missed time due to the injuries, and he struck out
141 batters. He broke even at 1-1 in the World Series triumph over the Dodgers.
Ford encountered physical issues in 1957, spending time on the disabled list as
a result of shoulder problems. He ended up with a respectable 11-5 record and
2.57 ERA, along with 84 strikeouts in just 129.1 innings pitched. The Yankees
won the AL pennant and Ford was 1-1 in the seven-game World Series loss to the
Braves. The club topped the league again in 1958 and Ford, despite a sore elbow
during the season’s second half, contributed a 14-7 tally and led the AL with a
2.01 ERA. The Yankees rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit in the World
Series rematch with the Braves to win, although Ford was 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA in
his three starts. The club struggled in 1959, but the ace southpaw was 16-10
with a 3.04 ERA and 114 strikeouts while pitching 204 innings. Shoulder
problems were an issue again in 1960, but Ford contributed a 12-9 record in 33
appearances along with a 3.08 ERA as the Yanks returned to the top of the
American League. He pitched very well in winning his two World Series starts
against Pittsburgh, the ultimate victor. An unflappable clutch performer, Ford
was the ace of the top team in baseball’s pitching staff with a new manager,
Ralph Houk, agreeing to start him every fourth day, rather than every fifth, or
more, as under Casey Stengel, who preferred to use him strategically. And he
had developed a slider to add to his repertoire.
1961 Season Summary
Appeared in 39
games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Pitching
Games – 39
Games Started –
39 [1]
Complete Games
– 11 [9, tied with six others]
Wins – 25 [1]
Losses – 4
PCT - .862 [1]
Saves – 0
Shutouts – 3 [6,
tied with four others]
Innings Pitched
– 283 [1]
Hits – 242 [7]
Runs – 108 [16]
Earned Runs – 101
[9]
Home Runs – 23
[17, tied with Bud Daley, Jerry Walker & Barry Latman]
Bases on Balls
– 92 [12]
Strikeouts – 209
[2]
ERA – 3.21 [10]
Hit Batters – 1
Balks – 0
Wild Pitches – 8
[6, tied with seven others]
League-leading
games started were +2 ahead of runner-up Jim Bunning
League-leading
wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Frank Lary
League-leading
win percentage was +.020 ahead of runner-up Ralph Terry
League-leading
innings pitched were +7.2 ahead of runner-up Frank Lary
Midseason
Snapshot: 16-2, ERA - 3.15, SO - 122 in 160 IP
---
Most
strikeouts, game – 12 (in 8 IP) at Detroit 6/18
10+ strikeout
games – 2
Fewest hits
allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) vs. Kansas City A’s 4/17, (in 7.1 IP) vs.
Minnesota 6/6
Batting
PA – 114, AB – 96,
R – 11, H – 17, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 10, BB – 12, SO – 17, SB – 0, CS
– 0, AVG - .177, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – 1
Fielding
Chances – 62
Put Outs – 12
Assists – 45
Errors – 5
DP – 5
Pct. - .919
Postseason
Pitching: (World Series vs. Cincinnati)
G – 2, GS – 2, CG
– 1, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 1, IP – 14, H – 6, R – 0, ER – 0,
HR – 0, BB – 1, SO – 7, ERA – 0.00, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0
World Series MVP
Awards & Honors:
MLB Cy Young
Award: BBWAA
AL Pitcher of
the Year: Sporting News
All-Star (Starting
P for AL in 1st game)
5th in
AL MVP voting (102 points, 36% share)
MLB Cy Young
voting:
Whitey Ford,
NYY.: 9 of 17 votes, 50% share
Warren Spahn,
Mil.: 6 votes, 33% share
Frank Lary, Det.:
2 votes, 11% share
---
Yankees
went 109-53 to win the AL pennant by 8 games over the Detroit Tigers. The
pitching staff led the league in saves (39). The Yankees surged to the pennant in
a season dominated by the home run race between outfielders Roger Maris and
Mickey Mantle. Won World Series over the Cincinnati Reds, 4 games to 1. The Series
was highlighted by Ford’s record string of 33 consecutive shutout innings
pitched.
Aftermath of ‘61:
Ford continued
with the Yankees until 1967. He was part of another World Series championship
in ’62, when he was 17-8 with a 2.90 ERA, and two more pennant-winning clubs in
1963 and ’64. The Yankees fell into a prolonged slump thereafter. Ford himself,
facing physical decline that included circulatory problems in addition to the
diminution of his fastball, began to scuff and otherwise doctor the ball on
occasion. By 1967, bone chips in his elbow forced his retirement at the end of
May. Over the course of his long career, entirely played with the Yankees, Ford
compiled a 236-106 record (.690 pct.) with a 2.75 ERA and 1956 strikeouts over
3170.1 innings pitched. In World Series play, he set career records with his 10
wins, 8 losses, 22 starts, 146 innings pitched, and 94 strikeouts, as well as
his 33 consecutive scoreless innings. He also posted a 2.71 ERA with 7 complete
games and 3 shutouts in World Series action. Ford was an All-Star selection
during eight seasons (for a total of 10 games). He was elected to the Baseball
Hall of Fame in 1974. The Yankees retired his #16 and erected a plaque in his
honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. Ford served for a time as pitching
coach for the Yankees. A serious student of his craft, he was much appreciated
for his confident professionalism that served him well as a key contributor to
11 pennant-winning teams and six World Series winners.
--
Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of
the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to
present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its
inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major
league.
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