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H A L L O F F A M E I N D U
C T E E S
 Whitey Ford ·
Elected 1970
Pitcher, Chicago Colts, Brooklyn Superbas, Washington Monuments, St.
Louis Maroons, Manhattan Gray Sox ·
1953-1968
When Chicago made Whitey Ford
their first pick in the re-entry draft of ’53, they had a clear idea of
his potential, backed up by a 10-9, 4.36 ERA campaign. It would be
another 16 years before Whitey posted an ERA above that mark. Ford
had three sub-3.00 ERAs over seven seasons with the Colts, the pick of
them being 1955, when he went 24-3 with a 2.89 ERA and made the first of
three All-UL teams. Overall, he would go 101-56 for Chicago over
seven years and 196 starts. The decade ended in a blockbuster
trade away from the Colts to Brooklyn, in a deal taking Mantle and Ford
east while returning draft picks and Richie Ashburn.
The early 1960s were a time of great
triumph for Whitey; between 1960-64, he went 74-28 with a 3.11 ERA, and,
more importantly, won four championships with the dominant Superbas
side, making the All-UL team in 1963 for a stellar 21-5, 2.09 ERA
campaign. Ironically, Ford’s great personal success came the year
that his team didn’t win it all. In 1964, he was traded to
Washington for an ill-fated pennant run during an excellent campaign.
While the Monuments faltered, Ford excelled, pitching a no-hitter while
going 14-4 with a 1.48 ERA (7 CGs in 18 starts), finishing the year
26-10 with a 1.92 ERA, 317 Ks in 332 innings and walking away with the
Cy Young award, his only such distinction. Ford would depart for
St. Louis the next year where again he would pitch excellently in a
pennant race, although once again his team did not triumph.
Ford returned to Brooklyn the next season, and it brought him another
World Series and two more 300-inning seasons. A strong 1967 hinted
that Ford may pitch into his 40s and beyond. When the end came,
however, it came quickly – in 1968, Ford scuffled to a 5-5 5.65 ERA
start and found himself parcelled off to Manhatten where he got bombed
for a 6.22 ERA in 12 starts for the Gray Sox.
Ford was no Iron
Man; he started 30+ games only seven times, and intermittently found
himself in the Brooklyn bullpen during his
prime (1960-1962). But when he was a full-time starter, Ford was always very good
(only twice did his ERA rise above 3.50 in 14 years not including his
first or last years), and occasionally exceptional (especially in ’63 and ’64). Indeed, as the third starter behind
Gene Conley, and Lew Burdette at Brooklyn, Ford was often out of the
limelight. But it is impossible not to respect a career line
of 263-146 with a 3.21 ERA in almost 4,000 innings pitched, and to
recognize Ford as a potential HOF candidate. As of the end of
1970, he ranks 2nd all-time in strikeouts (3626), 3rd in complete games
and shutouts, 5th in wins, 8th in winning pct., innings pitched, and
games started. (Doug Aiton)
AWARDS &
ACCOLADES
Hall of Fame (1970)
Cy Young Award (1964), All-UL Team (1955, 1963, 1964)
ERA champion (1964), WHIP champion (1964), Strikeout champion (1965,
1966)
4-time Pitcher of the Month, 3-time Player of the Week
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