Hall of Fame New York Yankees pitcher Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford is gone.
The Yankees announced that Ford passed away at 91 Thursday night. The cause of death is not yet known.
Despite decades passing since his playing days, Ford will go down as an all-time great baseball player. With six World Series rings and 236 total wins, his record still stands strong in 2020. Additionally, his .690 win percentage is the highest among pitchers with at least 300 decisions.
A 10-time All-Star, Ford spent his entire career as a Yankee. All the way to the modern day, Ford is referred to as the “Chairman of the Board.” This is due to legendary sports columnist Jim Murray’s famous description that rooting for the Yankees in the mid-20th century was akin to rooting for U.S.-based companies like General Motors, per ESPN.
Ford’s World Series titles include the Yankees’ 1950, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961 and 1962 championships. In addition to his six titles, Ford ended his career with one World Series MVP in 1961. Due to his immense success, New York retired his No. 16 uniform.
Besides being known for his illustrious baseball career, Ford also served in the Korean War. After winning his first World Series in 1950, Ford went on to serve overseas during 1951 and 1952 before rejoining the Yankees in the 1953 season.
Yankees release official statement on Ford
After the official news broke, the MLB franchise took to Twitter to address the legend’s death:
“The Yankees are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Whitey Ford. Whitey spent his entire 16-year career as a Yankee. A 6x WS Champion and 10x All-Star, The Chairman of the Board was one of the best lefties to ever toe the rubber. He will be deeply missed.”
