Whitey Ford
Chicago, IL: Maurice Seymour. Presumed one of several originals, uniquely signed with comment. Photograph {unframed]. Format is approximately 7.5 inches by 8.75 inches. Black and white photograph of Whitey Ford, in a head and shoulders pose, with Mr. Ford in a suit coat and striped tie, Signed in the upper left with "Whitey Ford" and with the sentiment in the upper right "Thanks for the good ham." Glue residue on back. Maurice Seymour ( 1900 - 1993 ) was a Russian immigrant who came to the United States in the 1920’s and opened a studio soon after. He was known as the “photographer to the celebrities” of his time. All kinds of entertainers came before Seymour’s lens. However, if he is best-known for any one area of photography, it is for his ballet pictures. Maurice and his brother Seymour Zeldman emigrated from Russia as teenagers and settled in Chicago, Illinois. As told by Maurice’s son Ron Seymour, the brothers opened their studio under the name “Maurice Seymour,” a combination of their first names. But when vendors didn’t understand why Maurice Zeldman (1900 – 1993) was signing their paychecks, Ron’s father legally changed his name to Maurice Seymour. His brother eventually also took the same last name, and odd as it may seem, became Seymour Seymour. But there was one more twist. When the brothers separated their businesses later in their careers – Maurice staying in Chicago and Seymour moving to New York – Seymour legally changed his name once again – to Maurice Seymour! No matter who snapped the actual photo, the Maurice Seymour name guaranteed an arresting, often iconic image, and the brothers became world-renowned for their theatrical and portrait photography. Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (October 21, 1928 – October 8, 2020), nicknamed "the Chairman of the Board", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played his entire 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He was a 10-time All-Star and 6-time World Series champion. In 1961, he won both the Cy Young Award and World Series Most Valuable Player Award. Ford led the American League (AL) in wins three times and in earned run average (ERA) twice. He is the Yankees franchise leader in career wins (236), shutouts (45), innings pitched (3,170+1 3), and games started by a pitcher (438; tied with Andy Pettitte). Ford was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. Ford signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947 and made his major league debut in 1950. Following a two-year sojourn to serve in the United States Army during the Korean War, Ford returned to the Yankees in 1953 and pitched for them until retiring in 1967. During his tenure with the team, Ford set numerous World Series pitching records, including consecutive scoreless innings (33+2 3), wins (10), games started (22), innings pitched (146), and strikeouts (94). The Yankees retired his uniform number 16 in 1974 and dedicated a plaque in his honor in Monument Park in 1987. Ford served as the Yankees pitching coach in 1964 while still a player and from 1974 to 1975 after retiring. He also served as the team's first base coach in 1968. In the wake of Yogi Berra's death in 2015, George Vecsey of The New York Times suggested that Ford was now "The Greatest Living Yankee". Ford died on October 8, 2020, at the age of 91. Condition: Good.
Keywords: Portrait Photography, Photograph, Whitey Ford, Head and Shoulders Pose, Maurice Zeldman, Seymour Zeldman, Celebrity Photographers
[Book #84168]
Price: $150.00