Dave Ford
Encyclopedia
David Alan Ford is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
for the Baltimore Orioles
. Born in Cleveland, Ohio
, Ford attended Lincoln-West High School
, and after graduating in 1975, was selected with the 23rd pick by the Orioles in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Ford started his career in the minor league with Bluefield and Miami in 1975, pitching 52 and 12 innings respectively for the two clubs. In 1976, while playing for Charlotte of the Southern League
, he pitched 212 innings, posted a 17–7 record, and had an ERA
of 2.50 over 27 games. For his efforts, Ford was named Southern League’s Pitcher of the Year. The next season, he pitched for the Rochester Red Wings
of the International League
, and finished the season with a 9–14 record and a 4.81 ERA. He spent the 1978 season at Rochester as well, pitching in 15 games, winning six and losing five.
Ford made his major league debut on September 2, 1978 against the Chicago White Sox
. he pitched 8⅓ innings, allowed no runs, struck out two, and received the win
. He pitched in one more game during the 1978 Baltimore Orioles season
, again not allowing a run, and finished the season with a 1–0 record and an ERA of 0.00. Ford split time between the majors and minors again in 1979, playing in nine major league games and starting two of them. He pitched 30 innings, posted a 2–1 record and had an ERA of 2.10. He became a main part of the roster in 1980, pitching in 25 games, where he pitched nearly 70 innings and had an ERA of 4.26. He played in 15 games the following season, and played in his final major league game on September 9, 1981. He continued to play in the minor leagues for a few years, then retired from baseball in 1985, having last played for the El Paso Diablos
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Born in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ford attended Lincoln-West High School
Lincoln-West High School
Lincoln-West High School is a high school located in Cleveland, Ohio and part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The school's name is a by-product of the merger between Cleveland's old Lincoln and West High Schools...
, and after graduating in 1975, was selected with the 23rd pick by the Orioles in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
1975 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft..Many baseball draft experts consider the 1975 draft to be the weakest in MLB history.- External links :*- References :...
.
Ford started his career in the minor league with Bluefield and Miami in 1975, pitching 52 and 12 innings respectively for the two clubs. In 1976, while playing for Charlotte of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, he pitched 212 innings, posted a 17–7 record, and had an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 2.50 over 27 games. For his efforts, Ford was named Southern League’s Pitcher of the Year. The next season, he pitched for the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, and finished the season with a 9–14 record and a 4.81 ERA. He spent the 1978 season at Rochester as well, pitching in 15 games, winning six and losing five.
Ford made his major league debut on September 2, 1978 against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. he pitched 8⅓ innings, allowed no runs, struck out two, and received the win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
. He pitched in one more game during the 1978 Baltimore Orioles season
1978 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1978 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing fourth in the American League East with a record of 90 wins and 71 losses.- Offseason :...
, again not allowing a run, and finished the season with a 1–0 record and an ERA of 0.00. Ford split time between the majors and minors again in 1979, playing in nine major league games and starting two of them. He pitched 30 innings, posted a 2–1 record and had an ERA of 2.10. He became a main part of the roster in 1980, pitching in 25 games, where he pitched nearly 70 innings and had an ERA of 4.26. He played in 15 games the following season, and played in his final major league game on September 9, 1981. He continued to play in the minor leagues for a few years, then retired from baseball in 1985, having last played for the El Paso Diablos
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
.