WTHBALLS CUSTOM SET SPOTLIGHT: 1960S STARS OF THE GAME: WHITEY FORD

Good day all! 

On the blog today, we come to my custom "1960s Stars of the Game" card for the great Whitey Ford, from my set released back in 2018:

Super fun set to create, which included custom WTHBALLS gelatin box with actual gelatin packet inside.

What needs to be said about quite possibly the greatest Yankee pitcher of them 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.

VINTAGE SPECIAL! "MISSING" 1954 WILSON'S FRANKS WHITEY FORD

Today on the blog, we spotlight my "missing" 1954 Wilson's Franks card for the great Whitey Ford, part of my recent custom set released a few months ago:

What needs to be said about quite possibly the greatest Yankee pitcher of them 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.

 

"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: WHITEY FORD

Good day folks!

On the blog today, adding the "Chairman of the Board", New York Yankees legend Whitey Ford to my future custom set "Classic Baseball", which should see the light of day towards the end of the year:

What needs to be said about quite possibly the greatest Yankee pitcher of them 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.

 

1960S "IN-ACTION": 1960 WHITEY FORD

Up on the blog today, another of my "1960s In-Action" cards from my Series 2 custom set just released, this one a 1960 card of New York Yankees legend Whitey Ford:

Just a fun card to create and print up for the "Chairman of the Board", showing him most likely on his way to another victory based off his stellar .690 lifetime winning percentage.

What else 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.

MINOR LEAGUE DAYS: LEGENDS EDITION- WHITEY FORD

Up on the blog today, we go and add New York Yankees great Whitey Ford to my long-running "Minor League Days: Legends Edition" set, one that I have hopes of printing up later this year:

Here we see Ford suited up with the Binghamton Triplets in A-Ball as a nineteen-year-old, a brilliant season which will see him go 16-5 over 26 games, sporting a microscopic 1.61 earned run average over 168 innings.

The following year he'll jump all the way to Triple-A for half the year, before making the Big Leagues, where he would stay through the 1967 season before retiring at the age of 38.

What else 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.

1960'S CAREER-CAPPERS INSERTS: WHITEY FORD

Today on the blog we profile my "1960s Career-Cappers" insert card for New York Yankee legend Whitey Ford. Part of my custom set released back in 2020:

Just a fun little "extra" I randomly inserted into the sets, in thick card stock while paying homage to the 1948 Bowman set.

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.

1960'S CAREER CAPPER: 1968 WHITEY FORD

Good day everyone.

On the blog today, we have my 1968 "Career Capper for New York Yankees legend Whitey Ford, from my dedicated set of 1960's cappers released a few years back:

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.

SPECIAL SPOTLIGHT: "LOST" 1963 FLEER SECOND SERIES: WHITEY FORD

Time to go and throw the spotlight on another of my custom "missing" 1963 Fleer cards, this one of New York Yankees legend Whitey Ford, the "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.

FANTASY COACH CARD- 1975 WHITEY FORD

The next fantasy coach card in my series is of Yankee legend and Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, who coached for the Yanks in the mid-70’s:

Ford, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974, lent his wisdom as perhaps the greatest Yankee pitcher of them all when he coached right around the time the team was about to become a league powerhouse and “mini-dynasty”.
Considering he was a Cy Young winner, the holder of the highest lifetime winning percentage among 200+ winning pitchers, owner of a 2.75 ERA and winner of 10 games in World Series play, it’s certainly a guy you want teaching young arms in your organization!
The “Chairman of the Board”, the greatest living Yankee!

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.

1975 "CY YOUNG AWARD" SUB-SET: WHAT IF? 1963

Today's post regarding my imagines 1975 Cy Young Award sub-set brings us to the 1963 season, and the beginning of the Sandy Koufax era.

Let's take a look at my card design first:

Before we praise the "Left Arm of God", let's take a look at whom the people at SABR figured would win the American League Cy Young Award had there been such a vote in place at the time, Yankees great Whitey Ford.

Having won the award himself just a couple of years earlier in 1961, Ford posted another awesome season in 1963, ending up with a 24-7 record to go along with a 2.74 earned run average and 189 strikeouts.

The effort got him a third place finish in M.V.P. voting, and easily would have gotten him another Cy Young to go with it.

Besides the league-leading win total, Ford also led in starts with 37 and innings pitched with 269.1, with 13 complete games and three shutouts. He also had a save in there as well.

Ironically enough his 1964 season would actually be better even though his won-loss record was 17-6, as he posted a career high eight shutouts with a sparkling 2.13 earned run average with 172 K's. 

It was to be his last great season of his career, as Ford tailed off between 1965 and 1967, hanging them up after that year.

In the National League, we take a look at who did win the award, and would win the award three of the next four years, and easily four of four had there been an award for both leagues in place then: Dodger great Sandy Koufax.

1963 would be the first year in a dominating run that I can honestly say wasn't matched until a guy named Pedro Martinez came along in the late-90's.

Let's look at the numbers shall we: 25-5 record, 1.88 E.R.A., 11 shutouts and 306 strikeouts. Incredible!

Throw in a league-leading 0.875 WHIP, 6.2 hits-per-nine-innings and an amazing 5.28 K's to walks ratio (which is incredible considering how wild Koufax was the first half of his career), and you have not just a Cy Young Award season, but a Most Valuable Player season, which is what he also took home that year.

What a run Koufax had between 1963 and 1966. He led the league in wins three times, E.R.A. four times, winning percentage twice, shutouts three times, strikeouts three times, and took home three Cy Young Awards, and an M.V.P. Award, while finishing in second place in both 1965 & 1966.

Man if only we could have seen where his career totals would have been had he been able to pitch an extra four or five years before retiring.

Sadly at the ripe old age of 30, Koufax was forced to retire because of arm trouble, leaving us with those "what-if's" that will never go away, along the lines of the Ted Williams, Bob Feller and Stan Musial military years.

Next up, the 1964 season with Dean Chance, the actual award winner, and of course, Mr. Koufax…

1975 "CY YOUNG AWARD" SUB-SET: WHAT IF? 1961

Next up on my 1975 Cy Young Award sub-set thread is 1961, and the year Whitey Ford finally took home the award.

Seems everything went right for the Yankees that year, and Ford was either the beneficiary of all that stuff going right, or a heavy reason WHY it all went that way.

For the National League, the fine folks over at SABR felt that none other than Warren Spahn would have won what would have been his third award had there been a winner for each league back then.

Take a look at my card design for 1961 first:

Even though Ford had many fine seasons leading up to 1961, it really did all come together that year, as he posted a 25-4 record with a 3.21 earned run average and three shutouts over 39 starts and 283 innings.

It would also be the only year he'd top 200+ strikeouts in a season, with 209, and oddly enough, the only year in his career where he'd give up 100+ runs and earned runs in 16 years in the big leagues.

With his 25-4 record in 1961, Ford's career winning percentage at the time stood at an incredible .714, with 150 wins against 63 losses.

As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for his final two years in the Majors, 1966 and 1967, Ford would have been only the second pitcher in Major League history with more than 200 wins and less than 100 losses (Bob Caruthers STILL being the only one with a record of 218-99), as well as finishing with a career winning percentage over .700 (at .705), something no one with over 200 career wins has ever done before or since.

Over in the National League, Braves pitcher Warren Spahn once again takes center stage, this time at the ripe old age of 40, as he finished the aseason with a record of 21 and 13, with league leading numbers of: 3.02 earned run average, 21 complete games and four shutouts.

Like I've stated earlier, the man was a machine.

You think he was done yet? How about a record of 23-7 two years later at the age of 42?!

Just incredible to think he also missed three years in his early 20's to military service, and he still ended up 363 career wins.

1961 was the sixth year in a row that Spahn posted 20+ wins, as well as the twelfth time he topped that number.

Awesome couple of future Hall of Famers here.

Next up, 1962 and the winner, Dodger great Don Drysdale, and who the SABR guys thought would win, Yankee pitcher Ralph Terry.

Stay tuned…

1975 "CY YOUNG AWARD" SUB-SET: WHAT IF? 1955

I'll tell you, I am having way too much fun designing cards from the 1950's for this thread! I may have to consider expanding my "redesigns" and custom cards in the future, when I've exhausted the 1970's!

For today's entry into the imagined 1975 Cy Young sub-set, we come to 1955, and two future Hall of Fame pitchers who did not have cards in the 1955 Topps set: Whitey Ford of the New York Yankees and Robin Roberts of the Philadelphia Phillies.

So, before I could create a 1955 Cy Young winners card for the 1975 set, I had to design the two 1955 cards for the players.

Take a look at these first:

Now take a look at the two cards placed onto the sub-set card:

Not bad if I say so myself…

As stated earlier on this thread, these are Cy Young award winners as speculated by the people at SABR in an article from the early 1990's that always stuck with me.

For Whitey Ford, this would have been the first of three Cy Young awards had their been an award before 1956, and had there been an award for each league instead of just one between 1956 and 1966.

All Whitey did in 1955 was go 18-7, with the 18 wins leading the league, as well as a fine 2.63 E.R.A. along with 18 complete games and five shutouts. He even threw in two saves for good measure!

For Roberts, this is the second time we see him in this thread, as he was the assumed winner in 1952 with his monster season where he went 28-7.

In 1955, he had another great year, going 23-14, with the 23 wins leading the league. He also posted an E.R.A. of 3.28 while leading the National league with 26 complete games and 305 innings pitched.

Funny enough, he also managed to also throw in a few saves as well, totaling three in addition to his 23 wins.

Two future Hall of Fame inductees in the prime of their careers.

Next up on this thread, we have the very first Cy Young Award winner, Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as well as who SABR figured would have won the award for the American League, young flame-throwing phenom Herb Score of the Cleveland Indians.