Whitey Ford’s rookie season: A tribute from the pages of the 1950 Brooklyn Eagle

October 9, 2020 Editorial Staff

New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford threw during the sixth game of the World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Oct. 12, 1960. Photo: AP File

Ed Ford second grad of Brooklyn vs. World to reach big leagues

By Ben Gould

That Ed Ford should have been the second “alumnus” of the Brooklyn Against the World sandlot series to reach the big leagues seemed inevitable, although no one, least of all Ford, figured to be in the big time in 1950.

Ever since the chunky lefthander from Long Island City broke into organized baseball, he’s achieved a string of spectacular successes which could mean only one thing — a regular berth in the big show.

Billy Loes, the Dodgers’ bonus hurler, was the first of the “alumni” to wear a major league outfit. He, like Ford, hails from Queens and is also a moundsman. But Billy came up the “easy way” — via the bonus rule which made him a big leaguer after one season in the minors.

The Brooklyn Against the World series will be renewed on Aug. 14 at Ebbets Field when the Brooklyn Eagle nine meets the Montreal Stars for the benefit of the Brooklyn Amateur Baseball Foundation.

It took Ed not one but three years to make the leap into the American League. After pitching for the Brooklyn Eagles in the 1946 series, which was the first of the annual games, Ford was signed by the Yankees and shipped off to Butler in the Class C Middle Atlantic League, where he started off in fine form. Here he carved out a record of 13 victories against a mere four setbacks in 24 games in 1947. A tidy strikeout total of 114 victims in 157 innings enhanced his performances. His earned-run average of 3.90 was just fair.

Whitey Ford waved to fans from outside the dugout at the Yankees’ annual Old Timers Day baseball game on June 12, 2016. Photo: Kathy Willens/AP File

A stepped-up promotion to the Class B Piedmont League followed the next season and stepped-up also were his strikeouts, along with a noticeable drop in earned runs collected off his southpaw slants.

At Norfolk he posted a .667 mark with 16 wins against eight reversals in 30 games. Working in 216 innings, Ed fanned 171 batters with an earned-run average of 2.58. He pitched 16 complete games.

It was at Binghamton in the Class A Eastern League that Ed came into his own last season as a full-fledged star. Here he lost only five decisions against 16 victories in 26 games. His strikeout average was almost one per inning inasmuch as he whiffed 151 sluggers in 168 innings to lead the loop in that department. Most impressive of all, however, was his earned-run average of 1.61 per contest, best in organized baseball from Class B through the majors.

Assigned to Kansas City in the fast American Association this season, Ed continued to show rapid improvement until he was recalled by the Yankees some weeks ago. At K.C. his mark was 6-3 after dropping his first two starts. He showed the poise and maturity required for big league competition. In one game he had to pitch to Taft Wright of Louisville in a tough spot. His battery mate, Bill Drescher, came out on to the mound to offer a few kind words of advice, but before he could open his mouth, Ed said, “I’ll fool him with a hook and then give him a fastball for the third strike.”

Drescher trotted back to his position without a word. Ford then proceeded to snake in two strikes and then got the dangerous slugger to pop up.

Although Ford admittedly wasn’t scheduled to don a Yankee uniform until next season, being brought up to the big club when the need for a twirler became desperate, the Yanks’ front office is confident he will become a big winner in the years to come. “He’s another Herb Pennock in the making,” was the way one of them put it. And that’s just about the highest piece of praise that can be handed any rookie.

But the records show he merited the compliments. He had been beaten in the American Association only once since May, and in addition had hurled two 10-inning tie contests. The first, against Milwaukee, ended in a scoreless deadlock, and the second was a 3-3 affair against Minneapolis.

The most amazing part of his record is the fact that his earned-run average dropped each year, although the competition in which he worked became tougher with each passing campaign. His strikeout average of seven per game and his issuing of less than three bases on balls over the nine-inning route tells the story of his ability.