Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 376

National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, along with teammate Mickey Mantle.

Ford signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and made his major league debut in 1950. Following a two year sojourn to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War, Ford returned to the Yankees in 1953 and pitched for them until retiring in 1967.

Ford was born in Manhattan. At age five, he moved to the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, a few miles from the Triborough Bridge to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. He attended public schools and graduated from the Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades.

Ford was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and played his entire career with them. While still in the minor leagues, he was nicknamed "Whitey" for his light blond hair.

Ford began his Major League Baseball career on July 1, 1950, with the Yankees. He won his first nine decisions before losing a game in relief. Ford received a handful of lower ballot Most Valuable Player votes despite throwing just 112 innings, and won the “Sporting News” Rookie of the Year Award.

During the Korean War era, in 1951 and 1952, Ford served in the United States Army. He rejoined the Yankees for the 1953 season,