Legendary Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford dies

Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford, who held the records for most starts, wins, and strikeouts in World Series history, died on Thursday. He was 91. Ford played with the New York Yankees for the entirety of his 16-year Major League Baseball career, winning six World Series in the 1950s and 1960s. He relied on a variety of curveballs, sliders, and change-ups to confuse hitters rather than overwhelm them with power. “If it takes 27 outs to win, who’s going to get them out more ways than Mr. Ford?” Yankees manager Casey Stengel once said.

What else is Ford known for? He earned the nickname “Chairman of the Board” for leading the Yankees’ pitching rotation and “Whitey” for his blond hair. After his first year with the Yankees, Ford joined the Army during the Korean War but never saw combat.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read fellow readers’ descriptions of their favorite sporting memories, including a World Series Game 7 featuring Ford.