Another baseball great gone. Another childhood memory gone.
Such comes with the passing of the years, but it never gets easier.
Hall of Fame pitcher Ed "Whitey" Ford's death at age 91 was announced yesterday.
This isn't the first time I've written tributes about the passing of childhood baseball heroes. There was Joe Garagiola.
Although Bob Feller was long retired by the time I came along, I was fortunate enough to see him pitch, too. At age 90, the year before he passed away.
I haven't been a baseball fan for years but I have a special spot in my heart for Whitey Ford, because he's one of my earliest memories of getting interested in baseball (I grew up in a non baseball watching family). Did you know that he died watching (on TV) the team he played for, the New York Yankees?
Ford played for the Yankees his entire career - 16 years. 10 time all star, six time World Series champion. Best winning percentage of any pitcher in the 20th century. He was called "The Chairman of the Board". But not only that, in a way, he was local to where I used to work, Binghamton, New York. In 1949, he joined our then minor league team, the Binghamton Triplets. Johnson Field, where he played, is long gone but the land is partially occupied by NY Rt 17. I believe our local senior center is also partially on some of the land that was Johnson Field, but can't verify it.
Up to the late 1980's, Ford used to occasionally visit Red's Kettle Inn near to where the field was, where he used to eat. As of this writing, Red's is still open.
I was not yet born in 1949, but if only....
The sun sets on another memory of my childhood.
Rest in Peace, Whitey Ford.
I was a Yankee fan (believe or not!) back in the Ford/Mantle/Berra era when I first became a baseball fan. Whitey was always a favorite of mine. While it is sad to see him go, he certainly had a long and productive life and will be long remembered by baseball fans everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that he died watching the Yankees in the playoffs ... I never saw him play but ... wow
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sky.
ReplyDeleteI was never a sports fan. The only baseball names that would be familiar to me would be Oakland A's names for the mid 70s! I babysat for the next door neighbors when I was in high school when they went to games (also basketball, but never football), so I watched the games then. They paid extra when "their" team won! As a teenager I thought the players were kind of cute! Those 70s!
...I was a little guy in 1949, can't remember much.
ReplyDeleteWhitey was still pitching when I started following baseball in the '60's. Sorryto hear he's gone.
ReplyDeleteSeems like several legends are passing this year. Not like 2016, but still quite a few.
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