1964 Profile: Whitey Ford

1964 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR

"Taking on a second role in 1964 is Whitey Ford, baseball's most successful pitcher- percentage-wise and in earned runs yield- who will now also serve as hurling coach. The New York-born left-hander has a 199-78 standard over 12 seasons and a 2.78 lifetime ERA, totals unsurpassed by any active pitcher.
He has won more Series games (10) and lost more (7) than any other. Intelligent and combative on the mound, his strength lies in pitching what the batter doesn't want to hit. Whitey has remarkably shaken off assorted arm and shoulder ailments over the past several seasons."

-Don Schiffer, Major League Baseball Handbook 1964

"Starting the season one victory shy of 200, Whitey Ford is doing double duty this year. He's still the ace of the Yankee staff; he's also the pitching coach. With a 199-78 record during his career, he has the highest winning percentage in baseball history, .717.
In 1961, when he posted an amazing 25-4 record, he was voted the Cy Young Award as the outstanding pitcher in the majors. He holds many World Series records, including 33 2/3 scoreless innings over a three-year span, 1960-61-62."

-Dave Anderson, 1964 Major League Baseball Handbook

"Way back in 1950 Whitey Ford had words of praise for his teammate and roommate, Yogi Berra. 'A lot of people seem to think he's just a comedian,' said Whitey. 'But on the ball field, he's all business.'
Now, 14 years later, Berra is managing the Yankees, and Ford is wearing two hats as pitching coach and ace of the mound staff. In one of their first post-season moves after the disastrous four-straight loss to the Dodgers in the World Series, the Yankee brain trust named Ford pitching coach. Said Yogi: 'I don't see why Whitey can't coach and pitch, too.'
Clever and confident, the 35-year-old left-hander knows more about pitching than any player in the game. No longer able to overpower the batters with blazing speed, Ford's bag of tricks includes changeups, sliders and a screwball. He's even begun to experiment with a knuckler. A few years ago he helped instruct some young pitchers at the Yankees' spring training camp.
'I see these kids don't know anything,' Whitey recalls. ' 'They must be dumber than I am,' I say to myself. Helping them was the most fun I ever got out of the game.'
For Ford, baseball has been one long string of successes, with just a few setbacks, since he joined the Yankees as a fresh-faced kid out of Kansas City of the American Association in the summer of 1950. The 5'10", 180-pound portsider helped hurl the Yankees to a pennant that year, then shut out the Phils in his only Series start as New York took four straight. After two years in the Army, Whitey came back to mow down American League batters year after year. The highlights include 10 wins in World Series competition, a dazzling 25-4 record in 1961, and his 24-7 of last season. His first Yankee manager, old Casey Stengel, hit the bull's-eye when he declared: 'Ford's one in a lifetime.' "

-Bill Wise, 1964 Official Baseball Almanac

"The dean of Yankee pitchers is now the pitching coach of the Yankees. Edward Charles 'Whitey' Ford, most successful Yankee pitcher in the post-war period, recorded his second 20-plus winning season in 1963, nailing 24 decisions. In the last three years, Whitey has won 66 games, a 22-game average. His first 1964 victory was Ford's 200th in a great major league career.
Going into the current season, the 35-year-old southpaw from Lake Success had the highest won-lost percentage in baseball history among pitchers with 100 or more victories since 1900. And his earned run average of 2.78 and yield of 2194 in 2565 innings are among the best of all modern pitchers.
The personable Ford, winner of numerous awards for his distinguished American League and World Series records (including a mark of 33 2/3 consecutive innings of shutout pitching in Series play), this spring assumed the added duties of pitching coach on Yogi Berra's revamped staff. Whitey, a keen student of the game, was expected to help several of the Yanks' fine prospects develop into future moundstays. Whitey also feels he can continue winning for the Yankees, too."

-The New York Yankees Official 1964 Yearbook

"Taking on the added responsibility of pitching coach this season as well as starting in the regular mound rotation is Whitey Ford, the 35-year-old moundstay of the Bomber staff.
In a surprise switch last November, the Yankees decided that Ford, considered one of the brainiest of pitchers, could double in brass. So they named him to the dual post when the club was unable to come to a financial agreement with former pitching mentor Johnny Sain.
Ford thus becomes the highest paid Yankee hurler of all time. With a handsome raise for his fine performance in 1963, in addition to being recompensed for his added coaching duties, Whitey will pull down in the neighborhood of $60,000. Before Ford came along, Allie Reynolds was the top Yankee hurler, money-wise, drawing a high of $41,000.
Upon accepting the double job, Ford declared, 'I expect to pitch a few more seasons and coach. When I had that bad season in 1960, I didn't think I'd last this long. But now I feel I can go on for a while. I'll work mainly with the youngsters and some of the older men who have problems.'
The 5-10, 181-pound resident of Lake Success, N.Y., compiled a 24-7 record in '63, enabling him to lead the American League in most triumphs as well as in percentage with .774. Ford also worked the most innings, 269, and tied teammate Ralph Terry in the category of most games started, 37 each.
Whitey's career won-lost mark now stands at 199-78 for a percentage of .718, highest among all major league hurlers with 100 or more wins since 1900.
Ford, who signed with the Yankee organization in October 1946, joined the Bombers in 1950, coming up from Kansas City in mid-season, capturing nine out of 10 decisions. After two years of military service, Whitey rejoined the Yanks in 1953 and has been winning key ball games for them ever since.
Ford's high-water mark came in 1961 when he was 25-4, striking out 209 batters and winning 14 straight at one point. For that achievement, he won the Cy Young Award as the best pitcher of the year.
Whitey also holds many Series marks, and wouldn't mind adding to them by hurling the club to another flag."

-1964 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook

Played sandlot ball in New York with Police Athletic League.
Attended Manhattan Aviation High School.
Signed by Yankee organization, October 4, 1946.
Pitched two consecutive 1-hitters, September 2 and September 7, 1955.
Named No. 1 American League Pitcher by The Sporting News, 1955.
Tied American League record, most consecutive strikeouts (6) vs. Kansas City, July 20, 1956.
Struck out 15 men in 14 innings in 1-0 win over Washington, April 22, 1959.
Tied Yankee record for most consecutive wins (14), 1961, also held by Jack Chesbro, 1904.
Winner of Cy Young Award, 1961.
Named World Series Most Valuable Player [Babe Ruth Award] by Sport Magazine, 1961.
Holds World Series record, most consecutive scoreless innings (33.2), 1960-1961-1962, including three shutouts: 10-0 and 12-0 against Pirates in 1960 and 2-0 against Reds in 1961.
Named No. 1 American League Pitcher by The Sporting News, 1961.
Led American League in wins (24), 1963.
Led American League in winning percentage (.774), 1963.
Led American League in innings pitched (269), 1963.
Tied Ralph Terry for American League lead in games started (37), 1963.
Named No. 1 American League Pitcher by The Sporting News, 1963.
Has winning percentage of .718 (199-78), lifetime, highest among all pitchers with 100 or more wins since 1900.
Has most shutouts (42) by any Yankee pitcher, lifetime.
Has most shutouts by any active American League pitcher, lifetime.
Has most strikeouts (1,730) by any Yankee pitcher, lifetime.
Has most World Series wins (10),  lifetime.
Has most World Series games started (21), lifetime
Has most World Series strikeouts (90), lifetime.
Signed dual contract as player-coach, November 15, 1963.

-1964 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide