WHITEY FORD: THE G.O.A.T.

  

This morning, Yankees Universe got some incredibly sad news. Whitey Ford, Hall of Fame Yankees pitcher, the Chairman of the Board, the anchor of the Yankees pitching staff throughout the 1950s and 1960s, has died. He will be known forever as the most legendary World Series starting pitcher in Yankees history. He was 91 years old, a week and a half shy of his 92nd birthday.

Whitey Ford began his career in 1950, the year after the Yankees won the first of what would be five consecutive World Series Championships. That year, he would win his first nine decisions. He missed the next two seasons due to military service, but came back in 1953 to resume his Hall of Fame career. He pitched for 16 seasons, winning 11 pennants and 6 World Series. The World Series was his bread and butter. He was the World Series MVP in 1961, and holds the major league record for World Series Wins (10), Games Started (22), Innings Pitched (146), and Strikeouts (94).

 He pitched his final game on May 21, 1967. He finished with 236 career wins, and a career ERA of 2.75. In 1974, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

There is so much to say about him, like for instance the latest heartwarming story that he passed while or after the Yankee / Rays game last night with family all around. This Tweet from Bryan Hoch is sweet.

 

Whitey was the pitching legend of the Yankees that I grew up with, having heard and read all the stories about who he was and what he did. His name was right alongside names like Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Joe DiMaggio. Today we lost a major piece of Yankees history.

Rest in peace, Whitey.

--Ike Dimitriadis
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon

WHY USING "WE" MEANS I'M A FAN

Ok, ok, enough. All my friends break my balls because when I describe the New York Yankees, I say “We”, as in “We Won” or “We lost”. WE. Yes, I do. Like I’m on in the dugout, discussing pitch count with Larry Rothschild or I’m actually wearing eye black andtaking at bats against Josh Beckett. Sorry pals, I’ve always said “We” when describing my Yankees because that’s what fans do. I know many of you do as well, I’m in good company.

I know some of you think I write it and I’m a nutbag. Suck it. When you love your team, you’re close to your team and in turn, you feel like your with the team. When the Yankees win, I feel good. When the Yankees lose, I feel like crap. It’s the first feeling I have when I wake up, win or lose the night before and it sets the tone for my entire day the next morning. And everything good or bad follows depending on that win or loss.

For example, we came off that great 6-3 road trip and I felt like I was on top of the world. I had the best songs on my ipod that Monday morning and I remember them: On to the Next One by jay Z, Cochise by Audioslave, Beware by Big Pun and Back in Black by ACDC. A spring in my step and life was good. This morning, I woke up to I was pissed off. I spilled the milk all over the counter pouring my cereal. I dropped my phone on my toe and my ipod, well, you just don’t want to know. Love Shack by the B52’s, some Christmas song by Booker T and the MG’s and a Britney Spears song that made me lie to myself and say “Did I let my wife borrow this?” It set the tone for my today… and today’s going to suck. Why? BECAUSE WE LOST and it JUST STINKS!

If anyone knows what I’m talking about, Yankee fans do. We have been champions with many different times before and the Quest for 28, while still challenging, is not out of reach. But like I’ve been preaching since September 2010 when Bleeding Yankee Blue began, winning each series, whether a sweep or 2 games to 1, will undoubtedly put us in the Playoffs, so we have to. Yes, people preach Wild Card to me and I say we’re better than that. I don’t want to just squeak in. I want us to stand on top of the mountain, holding the bat high and the rest of the division is tired of crawling. I want us to be champions, play like champions and kick the crap out of everyone in our way. I mean, we ARE the New York Yankees right?

Do me a favor….comment. Tell me if you do what I do. Tell me you agree with me, disagree with me, I don’t care, just keep it clean. And not to get off topic, but hey Kate Hudson, I know you’ve been writing under the name “Anonymous” on many of our A-Rod, Cameron Diaz stories written by Christy Florio…thank you for reading.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.