The indigene of New York City, Ford was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free professional within 1947. He was given a nickname "Whitey" piece in the minor leagues for his blond, all but white, hair.

He began his Major League Baseball career on July 1, 1950, with a Yankees. Around 1951 and 1952 he served in the Army during the Korean War. He rejoined a Yankees for the 1953 season, and a Yankee "Big Three" pitching staff became the "Big Four," when Ford joined Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, and Eddie Lopat.

One of these days he went from either a #4 pitcher in a great staff to a always-acclaimed #1 pitcher of the Yankees, becoming called the "Chairman of the Board" for his ability to remaaround equanimity & in command in the period of high-pressure situations. He was likewise referred to as "Slick" for his craftiness on the mound, necessary because he did non use an overwhelming smoke, however existence take a breath to throw many more pitches super easily gave him nail control.

Around 1955, he led the American League inside complete games and games won; in 1956 in earned run average and winning percentage; in 1958, around earned begin norm; & in two 1961 and 1963, in games won & winning percentage. Around 1961 he won the Cy Young Award. He played his entire Xvi-season career as a Yankee, retiring around 1967.

Among pitchers by using at least 300 career decisions, Ford ranks foremost by using the winning percentage of .690. Among people sustaining at least 200 decisions, merely Pedro Martinez ranked ahead of him at the prevent of the 2005 season, at .701. Among starting pitchers whose careers began when a advent of the Live Ball Era in 1920, Whitey's Two.75 earned-process norm is 2nd to Martinez's Two.72. Hoyt Wilhelm, mainly the reliever when you took his career, leads totally post-1920 pitchers around ERA at Two.52.

When his career ended, Ford admitted to on occasion cheating by damaging baseballs. He would sharped his belt buckle to scuff a ball, & would periodically have a diamond around his wedding band.

Ford bore total Nineteen within his greenhorn year. Resulting his link to from either a army around 1953, he wore total Sixteen for the remainder of his career. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1974 with his longtime pal & Yankee mate Mickey Mantle. At that period, a Yankees retired his total Sixteen. In August Two, 1987, a Yankees dedicated plaques for Monument Park at Yankee Stadium for Ford and an additional lefthanded pitcher world health organization reached a Hall of Fame, Lefty Gomez. Ford's plaque calls him "One of the greatest pitchers ever to step on a mound."