The Chairman of the Board

Edward Charles Ford

Born: October 21, 1928, New York, New York

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

Played For: 

New York Yankees (1950, 1953-1967)

Elected to the Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 1974

Whitey missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons because of the Koren war.
Edward Whitey Ford was the big-game pitcher on the great Yankees teams of the 1950s and early '60s, earning him the moniker "The Chairman of the Board". The wily southpaw's lifetime record of 236-106 gives him the best winning percentage (.690) of any 20th-century pitcher. He paced the American League in victories three times and in ERA and shutouts twice. The 1961 Cy Young Award winner still holds many World Series records, including 10 wins and 94 strikeouts, once pitching 33 consecutive scoreless innings in the Fall Classic.

Eventually, Ford went from the No. 4 pitcher on a great staff to the universally acclaimed No. 1 pitcher of the Yankees. He became known as the "Chairman of the Board" for his ability to remain calm and in command during high-pressure situations. He also knew how to throw the scuff and mud ball very well! Casey used him against the other teams best pitchers, in fact, Casey would hold him out a game or so to make it work out. He was also known as "Slick," a nickname given to him at one time (Billie Martin, Mickey Mantle) by manager Casey Stengel who called them Whiskey Slicks. Ford's guile was necessary because he did not have an overwhelming fastball, but being able to throw several other pitches very well gave him pinpoint control. Ford was an effective strikeout pitcher for his time, tying the then-AL record for six consecutive strikeouts in 1956, and again in 1958. Ford pitched 2 consecutive one-hit games in 1955 to tie a record held by several pitchers. And yes, he could be our #1 starting pitcher right now, in this day and age IF he were still young and healthy. His career came to a halt because of nerve disruption in his hands, he had to keep them warm and the other teams said it was not right for him to use a hand warmer to do so...rules are rules.

Ford in 1954.