Whitey Ford, who is also known as "The Chairman of the Board", is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in the MLB 16 years in the MLB for the New York Yankees. In the wake of Yogi Berra's death in 2015, a New York Times columnist suggested that Ford is now "The Greatest Living Yankee." He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974.
A native of New York, Whitey Ford, was born on October 21, 1928. He graduated from the Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades. Ford is a six-time World Series champion and also won both the Cy Young Award and World Series Most Valuable Player Award.
Whitey Ford has a net worth of $4 million. He made his fortune from playing baseball for the Yankees where retired Andy Pettitte also played. Ford now owns a sports-themed restaurant and bar "Whitey Ford's Cafe." His character has been represented in an episode, The Simpsons, "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson", and in the HBO movie 61*.
Whitey Ford, baseball pitcher during a match SOURCE: Britannica To sign as a professional, Ford became auspicious about attracting a big bonus, however, his size worked against him. After his championship game performance, the Boston Red Sox offered him $1,000 to sign. But when the New York Giants offered him $2,000, the Red Sox was forced to increase their offer to $3,000.
Ford wanted to play with the Yankees as he grew up watching Yankees play on TV. To his surprise, Paul Krichell soon contacted him with an offer of $5,500. As Ford agreed with the offer, Paul Krichell and Henry Hesse, traveled to his hometown to get Ford’s signature for the contract. After they made the deal, the Giants called and spoke to Ford’s mother and made an offer worth $6,500.
Even though Ford would have compromised for no bonus to play with the Yankees, Krichell increased the Yankee offer to $7,000 on the spot.
During the Korean War era, in 1951 and 1962, Ford was serving in the army but took a 13-day leave so that he could come back to Astoria and marry his girlfriend, Joan Foran. They married on April 14, 1951, in St. Patrick's Church in Long Island City. To his surprise, there was the entire Yankee team in the ceremony.
Whitey Ford and his wife in their wedding ceremony, 1951 SOURCE: Pinterest After the wedding, they had to delay their honeymoon in Florida for three days so that Whitey could throw out the first pitch at the Yankees' 1951 Opening Day in Yankee Stadium. They lived in the city for a period during the 1950s. Together they gave birth to two sons and a daughter.
Whitey Ford was born after World War I on October 21, 1928, in New York City. He was the only child of Jim Ford and Edna Ford, who lived on the 66th street in Manhattan. The Ford family moved to 34th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, when Ford was 5-year-old. He grew up a Yankee fan.
After signed by the Yankees in 1947, Ford made his professional debut in MLB in 1950; He won his first nine decisions before losing a game in relief. Ford was voted the AL Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News.
