RIP Whitey Ford

[quote="BrooklynRed" post=399529]While not a Yankee fan remember seeing him pitch. Amazing how he dominated given he "normal" stature and less than overpowering fastball. Whitey was a master at control with the help of Yogi and Elston and the "ring" he pitched with.[/quote]
He said he only resorted to help late in his career.
 
Have a very nice picture and autograph of Whitey in a Yankee pin stripe plaque with a baseball card attached as well. Also have the same with Yogi. Willing to sell - make an offer.
 
Way before my time but when looking up his statistics I was amazed to see that he pitched until he was 38 and in his last year while only starting 7 games he had an ERA of 1.64 in his final year. The lowest of his career. Kind of crazy to leave on that 'high' note.
 
[quote="Moose" post=399541]Way before my time but when looking up his statistics I was amazed to see that he pitched until he was 38 and in his last year while only starting 7 games he had an ERA of 1.64 in his final year. The lowest of his career. Kind of crazy to leave on that 'high' note.[/quote]

Impressive, no doubt. Can't imagine anyone topping Koufax for gong out on a high note though. CYA last 2 seasons is likely to ever be duplicated, let alone surpassed
 
Whitey still holds the record for the highest winning percentage for any pitcher with at least 200 career wins

I grew up in the Little Neck / Douglaston area. Whitey was often the guest speaker at our annual Little League awards ceremony in the late 50's - early 60's. He was very nice - always willing to sign autographs, pose for pictures, etc. I had friends who caddied for him at local private courses and told me that he was nice, friendly and a good tipper.

When I lived in Riverhead in the 1990's, Whitey owned a Blockbuster Video store in town.

RIP Whitey. Thanks for the memories.
 
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[quote="Monte" post=399542][quote="Moose" post=399541]Way before my time but when looking up his statistics I was amazed to see that he pitched until he was 38 and in his last year while only starting 7 games he had an ERA of 1.64 in his final year. The lowest of his career. Kind of crazy to leave on that 'high' note.[/quote]

Impressive, no doubt. Can't imagine anyone topping Koufax for gong out on a high note though. CYA last 2 seasons is likely to ever be duplicated, let alone surpassed[/quote]

No doubt he was dominant. But we never got to see to full career since he retired so young.
 
In a matter of weeks, 3 hall of fame pitchers are gone. The common decade of all 3 were the 1960s, a wonderful time to be a young baseball fan in New York. I think baseball has lost enough of our childhood heroes. Here's hoping Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal stay safe.
 
Ray Morgan wrote:
In a matter of weeks, 3 hall of fame pitchers are gone. The common decade of all 3 were the 1960s, a wonderful time to be a young baseball fan in New York. I think baseball has lost enough of our childhood heroes. Here's hoping Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal stay safe.

I was a Giants fan in NL growing up (Yankee fan overall) and the Dominican Dandy was my favorite Giant. Won 21 or more games 6 out of 7 years between 1963-1969 and 25 or more games 3 times. Pretty amazing record and every bit comparable to Koufax or Gibson.
 
[quote="bamafan" post=399530][quote="BrooklynRed" post=399529]While not a Yankee fan remember seeing him pitch. Amazing how he dominated given he "normal" stature and less than overpowering fastball. Whitey was a master at control with the help of Yogi and Elston and the "ring" he pitched with.[/quote]
He said he only resorted to help late in his career.[/quote]

I remember reading that Yogi sharpened the belt buckle on his shin guard and would cut the ball on it in his throwing motion before returning it to mound. Berra was done by 63 so I'm guessing it was earlier than you think
 
So. maybe 25 years ago or a tiny bit more, Ford and Rizzuto were at an autograph even at the local masonic temple.
I think they were charging 6 or 8 bucks each for their autographs, so I stretched my budged at bought two baseballs and tickets for each.

I go downstairs to this big gymasium type room with wooden floors that our little league used for winter clinics. I was shocked to discover that the line for Ford was maybe 8 or 9 people deep, but the line for Rizzuto was way over 100, maybe 150, stretching the length of the room, out the door and up a staircase.

I chose the shortest line first, and when one of the handlers took my ticket I said, "I don't get it. Whitey Ford is in the Hall of Fame, one of the best Yankee pitchers of all time. Rizzuto was good and is visible as Yankee announcer, but how can be be outselling Whitey Ford by such a crazy margin?"

The handler smiled and said, "The sales are about even. Watch for a few seconds and you tell me." Someone approached Ford, he was polite, but efficient, taking the ball and signing it speaking very little. Rizzuto on the other hand, engaged everyone. It someone asked a question, he chattered away, and if they didn't he asked them. Seeing a kid with a glove, he'd offer, "Hey, how're ya doing? What position do you play? Where do you play?" And so on. He was genuinely interested in chatting, and of course, everyone loved it.

Rizzuto was the pride of Richmond Hill HS in Queens, and everyone in my neighborhood knew it, so when I got to my turn in line, I asked him where he lived in Richmond Hill. "Noooooo, I didn't live in Richmond Hill." So I continued, "Wait, you played for RHHS, didn't you?" Rizzuto in that trademark voice, boomed, "Oh yea, I did. I went to Franklin K. Lane and lived in Cypress Hills. They didn't have a team, so I was allowed to pick a nearby school to play for. " Lane straddled Jamaica Avenue near Highland Park, and Hill was one block off. Both were near the J train El on Jamaica. Mystery solved. I told him I umped and played in Highland Park, (I think the Yankees began in Queens as the Highlanders) and played Queens Nassau league ball at Lane. It was worth every penny of $8.

Ford, Rizzuto, Berra, Mantle. So many iconic all time greats, who sometimes had bigger personalities than their immense talents. In ensuing years I paid attention to Ford, who had a quick wit, and always seemed to have a smile on his face getting a kick out of characters like Yogi or Billy.

Local guy. Long Island guy. Even as a Mets fan, immensely proud that these guys were from our borough and neighborhoods. .

Can imagine Scooter saying in heaven , "Hey Cora, looks who's here. Holy Cow, I've been waiting for you, Whitey!
 
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[quote="Beast of the East" post=399571]So. maybe 25 years ago or a tiny bit more, Ford and Rizzuto were at an autograph even at the local masonic temple.
I think they were charging 6 or 8 bucks each for their autographs, so I stretched my budged at bought two baseballs and tickets for each.

I go downstairs to this big gymasium type room with wooden floors that our little league used for winter clinics. I was shocked to discover that the line for Ford was maybe 8 or 9 people deep, but the line for Rizzuto was way over 100, maybe 150, stretching the length of the room, out the door and up a staircase.

I chose the shortest line first, and when one of the handlers took my ticket I said, "I don't get it. Whitey Ford is in the Hall of Fame, one of the best Yankee pitchers of all time. Rizzuto was good and is visible as Yankee announcer, but how can be be outselling Whitey Ford by such a crazy margin?"

The handler smiled and said, "The sales are about even. Watch for a few seconds and you tell me." Someone approached Ford, he was polite, but efficient, taking the ball and signing it speaking very little. Rizzuto on the other hand, engaged everyone. It someone asked a question, he chattered away, and if they didn't he asked them. Seeing a kid with a glove, he'd offer, "Hey, how're ya doing? What position do you play? Where do you play?" And so on. He was genuinely interested in chatting, and of course, everyone loved it.

Rizzuto was the pride of Richmond Hill HS in Queens, and everyone in my neighborhood knew it, so when I got to my turn in line, I asked him where he lived in Richmond Hill. "Noooooo, I didn't live in Richmond Hill." So I continued, "Wait, you played for RHHS, didn't you?" Rizzuto in that trademark voice, boomed, "Oh yea, I did. I went to Franklin K. Lane and lived in Cypress Hills. They didn't have a team, so I was allowed to pick a nearby school to play for. " Lane straddled Jamaica Avenue near Highland Park, and Hill was one block off. Both were near the J train El on Jamaica. Mystery solved. I told him I umped and played in Highland Park, (I think the Yankees began in Queens as the Highlanders) and played Queens Nassau league ball at Lane. It was worth every penny of $8.

Ford, Rizzuto, Berra, Mantle. So many iconic all time greats, who sometimes had bigger personalities than their immense talents. In ensuing years I paid attention to Ford, who had a quick wit, and always seemed to have a smile on his face getting a kick out of characters like Yogi or Billy.

Local guy. Long Island guy. Even as a Mets fan, immensely proud that these guys were from our borough and neighborhoods. .

Can imagine Scooter saying in heaven , "Hey Cora, looks who's here. Holy Cow, I've been waiting for you, Whitey![/quote]

When I was born, we lived in an apartment building on Highland Blvd. A few years later we moved around the corner to Crosby Ave. For the first 8 or 9 years of my life, Upper Highland Park was my back yard. As a teen, Lower Highland Park was where I played a lot of my organized baseball. A lot of my cousins went to Lane. My Grandfather owned a Pastry Shoppe in Bushwick. Corner of Dekalb and Wilson Aves, diagonally across from the old 83rd Pct building. Next door was a lawyer who had a secretary named Mary. I adored Mary. Would go visit her for years. Then one day my Aunt Rosie mentioned something about Mary being Phil Rizzuto's sister. I was like "wait, which Mary?". I couldn't even process that the woman I had known for years was actually the sister of the legendary Scooter, who I adored as a Yankee broadcaster. I immediately ran over to see Mary and must have grilled her for hours on her brother. Great memories of a more simple and innocent time.
 
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FWIW YES has Don Larson's perfect game on right now till 1:00. Bottom of the 8th. Think it's Vin Scully calling the game.
 
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I remember Whitey getting surgery on his shoulder one offseason. It caused him to not be able to sweat on one side of his torso. Whitey responded by saying that it allowed him to wear the same sweatshirt 2 days in a row by reversing it since only one side got wet. :)
 
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