Nov. 15, 1963 - Whitey Ford, the Yankees’ ace left-hander for the past decade, today was named “playing coach of pitchers” for the 1964 season. As a coach, the 35-year-old pitcher will replace Johnny Sain, with whom the Yankees were unable to come to terms. Both manager Yogi Berra and general manager Ralph Houk (right) are confident Ford will continue to hurl in the manner that has brought him stardom. Ford, who came to the Yankees in 1950, was a 24-game winner last season. In return for doubling as pitcher and coach, a chore never tried before in the majors by a top-flight hurler, Ford is expected to receive a combined salary of about $60,000. Said Houk: “I like the idea of an active pitching coach. I’m surprised no other club has ever done it, particularly the Braves, who have Warren Spahn.” Ford said he was so surprised when Berra called him with the offer that he put his wife Joannie on the phone for a few moments “while I cleared my head.” “I wanted to be sure I could do two jobs,” explained Whitey today. “The mental angle, I mean; pitching every fourth day myself and worrying about the other pitchers the rest of the time. I decided I can do it.” The double raise makes the 35-year-old lefty the highest paid pitcher in the league and, of course, in Yankee history. “Some of these guys don’t need much teaching,” Ford continued, “men like Terry, Bouton, and Downing. I’ll have to work with the youngsters, like Tom Metcalf and some of the older men who may have problems, like Daley and Bridges.” Asked if he now would take himself out of games he was pitching, Whitey answered: “No, Yogi will still do that. He’s done it for years. When he was catching and started looking toward the bench and shaking his head, I knew I was on my way.” Berra was asked today if he might like to sign Mickey Mantle as batting coach. “Well come to that bridge when we cross it,” Yogi replied.
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