Saturday, June 27, 2015

HALL OF FAME #25:WHITEY FORD: CLASS OF 1974

Here's a card that I feel came out really nice, the next Hall of Fame Inductee in my HOF thread, Whitey Ford, former Yankee great and "Chairman of the Board":


What needs to be said about quite possibly the greatest Yankee pitcher of all?
Cy Young winner in 1961, winner of 236 games against only 106 losses (a nifty .690 winning percentage), a 2.75 career earned run average, and a member of six world championship clubs.
He led the league in wins three times, winning percentage three times, ERA twice, shutouts twice, and was named to eight all-star teams during his 16-year career.
His 10 World Series wins (along with his eight losses) are Major League high marks to this day, and who knows how much more he could have padded all of his numbers had he not lost two seasons to the military in 1951 and 1952!
When the Hall of Fame came calling he was inducted on his first try, getting named to 284 of 365 ballots in 1974.
Obviously there's so much more to get into with Whitey, but I could end up writing a book here if I did, so I'll leave it up to the Wikipedia's out there to fill anyone in who wants to learn more.
I only wish Ford didn't try to hang on those last couple of years in 1966 and 1967, when he went a combined 4-9, thus eliminating the chance of him being only the second pitcher to this day to retire with 200+ wins and LESS than 100 losses (the other being 19th-century pitcher Bob Caruthers, who finished at 218-99 between 1884-1893).
Oh well, I know I'm nitpicking here…It's the nerd in me I guess.

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