Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, the New York Yankees’ cheerful ‘Chairman of the Board,’ whose big-game reputation and World Series accomplishments secured his place among baseball’s greatest left-handers,
has passed away at age 91.
"The Yankees are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Whitey Ford,'' the club said in a statement Friday. "The Chairman of the Board was one of the best lefties to ever toe the rubber. He will be deeply missed.''
A quintessential New Yorker, raised in the Astoria, Queens, the 5-foot-10 inch Ford used excellent control – and perhaps a scuffed ball on occasion later in his career – to compile a 236-106 record and 2.75 ERA over 16 big-league seasons.