Ford was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and played his entire career with them. While still in the minor leagues, he was nicknamed “Whitey” for his light blond hair.

Ford began his Major League Baseball career on July 1, 1950, with the Yankees. He won his first nine decisions before losing a game in relief. Ford received a handful of lower-ballot Most Valuable Player (MVP) votes despite throwing just 112 innings, and won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award.

In 1951, Ford married Joan at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Glen Cove, New York on Long Island. They lived in this city for a period during the 1950s. They had two sons and a daughter together.

During the Korean War era, in 1951 and 1952, Ford served in the United States Army. He rejoined the Yankees for the 1953 season, and the Yankee “Big Three” pitching staff became a “Big Four”, as Ford joined Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, and Eddie Lopat. Ford wore number 19 in his rookie season, but upon his return he changed to number 16, which he wore for the remainder of his career.

In 1955, Ford led the American League in complete games and games won; in 1956 in earned run average and winning percentage; in 1958, in earned run average; and in both 1961 and 1963, in games won and winning percentage. Ford won the Cy Young Award in 1961; he likely would have won the 1963 AL Cy Young, but this was before the institution of a separate award for each league, and Ford could not match Sandy Koufax’s numbers for the Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League (NL).

Ford eventually went from the number-four pitcher on a great staff to the universally acclaimed number-one pitcher of the Yankees. He became known as the “Chairman of the Board” for his ability to remain calm and in command during high-pressure situations. He was also known as “Slick”, a nickname given to him, Billy Martin, and Mickey Mantle by manager Casey Stengel, who called them Whiskey Slicks. Ford’s guile was necessary because he did not have an overwhelming fastball, but being able to throw several other pitches very well gave him pinpoint control. Ford was an effective strikeout pitcher for his time, tying the then-AL record for six consecutive strikeouts in 1956, and again in 1958. Ford never threw a no-hitter, but he pitched two consecutive one-hit games in 1955 to tie a record held by several pitchers. Sal Maglie, star pitcher for the New York Giants, thought Ford had a similar style to his own, writing in 1958 that Ford had a “good curve, good control, [a] changeup, [and an] occasional sneaky fastball.”

Some of Ford’s totals were depressed by Yankees’ manager Casey Stengel, who viewed Ford as his top pitching asset and often reserved his ace left-hander for more formidable opponents such as the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. When Ralph Houk became the manager in 1961, he promised Ford that he would pitch every fourth day, regardless of the opponent; after exceeding 30 starts only once in his nine seasons under Stengel, Ford had 39 in 1961. Indeed 1961 was his first 20-win season, a career-best 25–4 record, and the Cy Young Award ensued, but Ford’s season was overshadowed by the home run battle between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. As a left-hander with an excellent pick-off move, Ford was also deft at keeping runners at their base: He set a record in 1961 by pitching 243 consecutive innings without allowing a stolen base.

Ford admitted to doctoring the ball in the 1961 All Star Game at Candlestick Park to strike out Willie Mays. Ford and Mantle had accumulated $1,200 ($10,143 today) in golf pro shop purchases as guests of Horace Stoneham at the Giants owner’s country club. Stoneham promised to pay their tab if Ford could strike out Mays. “What was that all about?” Mays asked. “I’m sorry, Willie, but I had to throw you a spitter,” Ford replied.

During his MLB career, Ford had 10 World Series victories, more than any other pitcher. Ford also leads all starters in World Series losses (8) and starts (22), as well as innings, hits, walks, and strikeouts. In 1961, he broke Babe Ruth’s World Series record of 29 ⁄3 consecutive scoreless innings. The record eventually reached 33 ⁄3, although MLB rule-makers retroactively reduced the record to 33 innings since Ford did not complete a full inning before allowing the streak-ending run. It is still a World Series record, although Mariano Rivera broke it as a postseason record in 2000. Ford won the 1961 World Series MVP Award. He appeared on eight AL All-Star teams between 1954 and 1964.

In May 1963, after pitching a shutout, Ford announced he had given up smoking. He said, “My doctor told me that whenever I think of smoking, I should think of a bus starting up and blowing the exhaust in my face.”

Ford ended his career in declining health. In August 1966, he underwent surgery to correct a circulatory problem in his throwing shoulder. In May 1967, Ford lasted just one inning in what would be his final start, and he announced his retirement at the end of the month at age 38.

Ford was the Yankees pitching coach during the 1964 season. In 1968, he served as the Yankees as first base coach, and in 1974 and 1975 as pitching coach.

In 1974, Ford and Mickey Mantle were both elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame; at that time, the Yankees retired his number 16.

In 1977, Ford was part of the broadcast team for the first game in Toronto Blue Jays history. In 2008, Ford threw the first pitch at the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

In 1987, the Yankees dedicated plaques for Monument Park at Yankee Stadium for Ford and Lefty Gomez.

In 1994, a road in Mississauga, Ontario, was named Ford Road in his honor. The north-central area of Mississauga is known informally as “the baseball zone”, as several streets in the area are named for Hall of Fame baseball players.

In 1999, Ford ranked 52nd on The Sporting News List of Baseball’s Greatest Players. He was nominated that year for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

In 2000, the ballfield overlooking the East River on 26th Avenue, between 1st and 2nd Streets in Astoria, Queens, was named Whitey Ford Field at a Yankee Stadium ceremony.

In 2002, Ford opened “Whitey Ford’s Cafe”, a sports-themed restaurant and bar next to Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York. A replica of the Yankee Stadium facade trimmed both the exterior and the bar, whose stools displayed uniform numbers of Yankee luminaries and widescreen TVs were installed throughout. The main dining area housed a panoramic display of Yankee Stadium from the 1950s, specifically a Chicago White Sox–Yankee game with Ford pitching and Mickey Mantle in center field; the Yanks were up 2–0. The servers were dressed in Yankees road uniforms, with Ford’s No. 16 on the back. It lasted less than a year before it closed down.

Ford died on October 8, 2020, at his home in Lake Success on Long Island at the age of 91, 13 days before his 92nd birthday, he was watching the Yankees play in Game 4 of the 2020 American League Division Series on television and was surrounded by his family. The cause of death was not immediately announced, but he had suffered from dementia for several years. When he died he was the second-oldest living member of the Hall of Fame, after Tommy Lasorda.