New York Yankees legend Whitey Ford has died at the age of 91.
Ford passed away at his home in Long Island on Thursday, according to the New York Post.
BREAKING: Whitey Ford, the pitching great who helped the New York Yankees dominate in the 1950s and ‘60s, dies at 91, a family member says. https://t.co/oFvXK5R1wu
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 9, 2020
Ford spent the entirety of his MLB career with the Yankees. The pitcher signed with the baseball team out of high school in 1947 for just $7,000. He retired in 1967 due to complications in his pitching arm, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Derek Jeter Selected To The Baseball Hall Of Fame, Was 1 Vote Short Of Being A Unanimous Selection)
Ford was voted into the hall of fame in 1974 during his second year of eligibility. Ford and Mickey Mantle entered the hall of fame together after playing as teammates throughout the years.
Ford revealed he had cheated towards the end of his career as he lost his skills in his autobiography, the NYPost reported.
“I want to emphasize that I didn’t begin cheating until late in my career, when I needed something to help me survive,” Ford said in the book, according to the outlet. “I didn’t cheat when I won the 25 games in 1961. … And I didn’t cheat in 1963 when I won 21 games. Well, maybe just a little.”
Ford is survived by his wife Joan, and children Edward and Sally Ann. Ford’s son Thomas died from a heart condition in 1999.