Yankees' Whitey Ford Watching Series From Lauderdale Home

By Nicole Rodriguez Tue., Nov. 3 2009 at 3:03 PM

Categories: Broward, Sports

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Yanks pitcher Whitey Ford during his heyday.

They wear Speedos when it's 50 degrees. They're pushy in person and even pushier in a car. Then there's those nauseating accents... With November, the snowbirds are back in town, and the New York variety have something to celebrate: Their beloved New York Yankees have finally made it through to the World Series, a feat not accomplished since losing the 2003 Series to our Florida Marlins.

Among that crowd of Yankees is one who used to wear the actual pinstripes: Whitey Ford, who pitched the Yankees to the 1950 World Series. The now-81-year-old retiree's been offering Yankees-Phillies commentary from the comfort of his Fort Lauderdale home -- a property search shows he owns a modest condo on north Fort Lauderdale Beach. Ford declined an invitation to the game one first-pitch ceremony, due to a bout with the flu.
"I let Yogi take care of it," Ford joked to NY Daily News reporters. "Although I gotta say, he looked awful small between those two first ladies!"

Ford, along with Berra, Jerry Coleman, and Bobby Brown, are the only surviving members of the historic 1950s Yankees team.