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Yankees History: The cagey and cunning Whitey Ford on the mound

By Sheldon Kamieniecki

CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER, 1955. Casey Stengel is shouting far left, Whitey Ford is bein hoisted on some shoulders in the New York Yankees celebration of the clinching of the pennant in their cliubhouse in Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio in September of 1955. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER, 1955. Casey Stengel is shouting far left, Whitey Ford is bein hoisted on some shoulders in the New York Yankees celebration of the clinching of the pennant in their cliubhouse in Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio in September of 1955. (Photo by Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) /
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UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1963: Pitcher Whitey Ford #16 of the New York Yankees pitches during a Major League Baseball game circa 1963. Ford played for the Yankees in 1950 and 1953-67. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1963: Pitcher Whitey Ford #16 of the New York Yankees pitches during a Major League Baseball game circa 1963. Ford played for the Yankees in 1950 and 1953-67. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

When everything was on the line, Whitey always stepped up, elevated his game, and played a crucial role for the Bombers. Ford started Game One of the World Series in 1955-1958 and 1961-1964. He is the only pitcher to start four Game Ones in a row, which he did twice. He started 22 games overall and he won 10 World Series games, more than any other pitcher.

Whitey broke Babe Ruth’s record of 29 2/3 scoreless innings in World Series play by pitching 33 scoreless innings. He also holds the record for innings pitched in the World Series (146) and for strikeouts (94).

Stengel viewed Whitey as his top pitcher, and he saved him to throw against only the best opponents in the American League. Sometimes that meant that Whitey would pitch only on a fifth or six-day since his previous start. Hence, some of Ford’s totals were depressed by manager Stengel’s strategy.

Casey was fired following the Yanks heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1960 World Series. Even today, I still can’t bear to watch Mazeroski’s home run fly over the left-field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7. A hard and painful punch in the gut for Yankees fans all over the planet.

The blame fell on Casey’s shoulders because he refused to start Ford, his ace, in Game One of the World Series. Instead, Ford pitched in Games 3 and 6, and he produced complete shutouts in both games. However, he was physically unable to appear in Game 7, the all-important clinching game, even as a reliever. Had Ford pitched in Game 1, he would have been able to pitch in three games of the Series rather than only two, including the deciding seventh game. Had Stengel done this, there is a very good chance that the Bombers would have taken the Series from the Pirates.

Ralph Houk succeeded Stengel in 1961, and he promised Ford that he would pitch every fourth day like other pitchers did on the team. How did Whitey respond? He went on to amass a 25-4 record and win the Cy Young Award in Houk’s first year as the Yankee skipper. Ford also was awarded the World Series MVP for his superb pitching in 1961.

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