Whitey Ford is arguably one of the best left-handed pitchers who ever graced the diamond. Lacking an overpowering fastball, he instead relied on breaking pitches thrown at different speeds and with pinpoint accuracy to consistently get opposing batters out.
Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford was born in Astoria, Queens in New York City, not far from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. He attended public schools in New York and graduated from the Manhattan High School of Aviation Trades. Ford was nicknamed “Whitey” while he was in the minor league because of his light blond hair.
Whitey was signed by the Yanks as an amateur free agent in 1947, and he played his entire 16-year career with them (1950 and 1953-1967).