New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford has died at the age of 91.
“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,” said the Yankees in a statement.
Nicknamed the “Chairman of the Board,” Ford was among the most dependable pitchers in history, winning 236 games and losing just 106 — a winning percentage of .690.
"Today all of Major League Baseball mourns the loss of Whitey Ford, a New York City native who became a legend for his hometown team. Whitey earned his status as the ace of some of the most memorable teams in our sport's rich history. Beyond the Chairman of the Board's excellence on the mound, he was a distinguished ambassador for our National Pastime throughout his life. I extend my deepest condolences to Whitey's family, his friends and admirers throughout our game, and all fans of the Yankees,” said Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr.
Ford was also the 1961 American League Cy Young Award winner.
Former Yankees took to Twitter to mourn Ford's death.
Wade Boggs, a fellow Hall of Famer, said he was going to miss Ford calling him "kid."
"Love you Whitey.... RIP" wrote Paul O'Neill.
"A true legend and hero," wrote Alex Rodriguez. "He will be missed."
Fellow Hall of Famers also honored Ford.
Pitcher Jim Palmer, who played his whole career in Baltimore, said Ford was his favorite pitcher ever.
Ford’s death occurred in a month when he for so long soared on baseball’s biggest stage, and hours before his Yankees' season came to an end with a 2-1 to Tampa Bay in the decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series.
The Yankees wore a patch with Ford's number on it to honor him in the game.
Edward Charles Ford was born on the East Side of Manhattan, about 100 blocks south of Yankee Stadium. He grew up playing sandlot ball in Astoria, Queens, a section of the city that produced major leaguers Sam Mele and Tony Cuccinello and singer Tony Bennett. The blond-haired Ford was nicknamed “Whitey” while still in the minor leagues.
The Yankees signed Ford in 1947 and three years later he was called up in midseason. At just 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Ford was viewed as a marginal prospect. But he won nine straight games and nailed down the 1950 World Series sweep of Philadelphia by winning the fourth game, coming within one out of a complete game.
After two years away for military service during the Korean War, Ford returned to the Yankees in 1953 and, along with Mantle, became the core of a team that won 10 American League pennants and five World Series in the next 12 years. Ford won 18 games in his first season back and never won fewer than 11 for 13 straight seasons.
Mantle summed it up: “He was the best pitcher I ever saw and the greatest competitor. Whitey won seven out of every 10 decisions and nobody in the history of baseball has ever done better than that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.