NEW YORK (AP) — During an era when the Yankees won the World Series so routinely it was joked that rooting for them was like rooting for General Motors, their ace pitcher owned the most fitting nickname: “The Chairman of the Board.”
Whitey Ford, the street-smart New Yorker who had the best winning percentage of any pitcher in the 20th century and helped the Yankees become baseball’s perennial champions in the 1950s and ’60s, died Thursday night. He was 91.
The team said Friday the Hall of Famer died at his Long Island home in Lake Success, New York, while watching the Yankees in a playoff game. His wife of 69 years, Joan, and family members were with him.
Ford had suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in recent years. His death was the latest this year of a number of baseball greats — Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson.
Replies (4)
In the late 50s, I use to play Stratomatic Baseball and we all wanted the Yankees team because it was almost a sure thing to win with that team. RIP Whitey.
Yeah, it’s been quite a year for baseball hall of famers passing. RIP to each of them.
The Mets and Yankees best pitcher of all time gone just months apart. Great guys too it sucks man. Whitey Ford was a hometown guy too. He lived out on the island.
RIP Whitey Ford. There must be some legendary stories of him and Mantle hitting the town for a night of drinking!
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