Bill Ford (baseball)

"The name Bill Ford might also refer to the chairman and CEO of the Ford Motor Company. See: Bill Ford."

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=darkblue
bgcolor2=maroon
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Bill Ford
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1915|10|14|mf=y
deathdate=death date and age|1994|4|6|1915|10|14
debutdate=September 27
debutyear=by|1936
debutteam=Boston Bees
finaldate=September 27
finalyear=by|1936
finalteam=Boston Bees
stat1label=ERA
stat1value=inf.
stat2label=Record
stat2value=0-0
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=0
teams=
*Boston Bees (1936)
highlights=
*5th youngest player in 1936.

William Brown Ford was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in one game with the Boston Bees in by|1936. His major league career, however, was not listed in the official baseball records until 2003, due to a record keeping error that credited his lone appearance to Boston Bees teammate Gene Ford.

Life and career

Bill Ford was born October 14, 1915 in Buena Vista, Pennsylvania. He attended Penn State University, and played on their baseball team. He threw and batted right-handed, was 6'2" in height and 200 pounds in weight.

On September 27, 1936, the last day of the season, he made his Major League debut, appearing in relief against the Philadelphia Phillies at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. Still only 20 years old, he was the 5th youngest player in major league baseball that season.

In his only big league appearance, Ford failed to retire a single batter, walking all three batters he faced. He was charged with two earned runs, and never again played in a Major League game. For his Major League career, he is considered to have an earned run average of infinity.

Ford died April 4, 1994 in Jefferson, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Mount Vernon Cemetery in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania.

2003 re-discovery

Ford did not appear in any official records of Major League baseball during his lifetime. Then in 2003, research by Rick Benner of SABR (the Society for American Baseball Research) discovered that Bill Ford's September 27, 1936 appearance had been incorrectly attributed to "Gene" Ford, who had appeared in one game for Boston earlier that year. (Gene Ford would also play in 4 games for the Chicago White Sox in 1938.) The official records have now been corrected to show Gene Ford having pitched in one game for the 1936 Bees (on June 17th), and Bill Ford also having pitched in one game for the 1936 Bees (on September 27th).

Although researchers will very occasionally find a previously undocumented major league baseball player to add to the official records, such players are usually from the 19th century. Finding one who played as late as 1936 is extremely rare.

External links

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