Whitey Ford
Ford in 2011, photo by Debby Wong/www.bigstockphoto.com/
Birth Name: Erwin Charles Paulke, Jr.
Date of Birth: October 21, 1928
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Death: October 8, 2020
Place of Death: Lake Success, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity:
*German (father)
*Swedish (mother)
Whitey Ford, legal name Edward Charles Ford, was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, he played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. He was also nicknamed “The Chairman of the Board.”
Whitey was the son of Edith/Edna Christina Josephine/Josefina (Johnson) and Erwin Charles Paulke. His mother later re-married James Joseph “Jim” Ford, and he took on his name. His parents were born in New York. His father was of German descent. His maternal grandparents were Swedish. He was raised in Astoria, Queens. Whitey was married to Joan, with whom he had three children.
Whitey’s paternal grandfather was named Hugo Julius Paulke (the son of Julius Paulke and Emilie, possibly Graf). Hugo was a German immigrant.
Whitey’s paternal grandmother was named Henrietta/Henretta/Henriette Marx. Henrietta was born in New York, to German parents.
Whitey’s maternal grandfather was Carl Leonard “Charles” Johnson (the son of Johan August Johansson and Emilia Josefina Bengtsdotter). Carl was born in Vinberg, Halland. Emilia was the daughter of Bengt Börje Andersson and Johanna Gustafva/Gustava Svensdotter.
Whitey’s maternal grandmother was named Anna Helena/Lena Brunberg (the daughter of Kristina Brunberg). Anna was born in Gunnarskog, Värmland. Kristina was the daughter of Lars Brunberg and Anna Stina Larsdotter.
Sources: Genealogy of Whitey Ford – https://www.geni.com
Biography of Whitey Ford – https://sabr.org
Obituaries of Whitey Ford – https://www.nytimes.com
https://blogs.fangraphs.com
Whitey Ford/Erwin Charles Paulke, Jr. on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey Ford/Erwin Charles Paulke, Jr. on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey Ford on the 1950 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Whitey’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey’s paternal grandparents, Hugo Julius Paulke and Henrietta/Henretta/Henriette Marx, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey’s maternal grandmother, Anna Helena/Lena Brunberg, in the early 1900s on the Sweden Household Examination Books – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitey was the son of Edith Christina Josephine (Johnson) and Erwin Charles Paulke.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24WV-4FD
Whitey’s paternal grandfather was Hugo Julius Paulke. Hugo was a German immigrant.
Whitey’s paternal grandmother was Henrietta Marx. Henrietta was born in New York, to German parents.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP1F-2QH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJB8-7GC
Whitey’s maternal grandfather was Carl Leonard Johnson. Carl was born in Sweden.
Whitey’s maternal grandmother was Anna Helena Brunberg. Anna was born in Värmland, Sweden.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJBV-XKD
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG5B-PRJX
Whitey’s parents are usually given as Edith Christina Josephine (Johnson) and James Joseph Ford (aka Edna and Jim).
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/sports/baseball/whitey-ford-dead.html
https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/whitey-ford/
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/remembering-whitey-ford-the-chairman-of-the-board-1928-2020/
Erwin Paulke was almost certainly Whitey’s biological father, and Jim his stepfather. Erwin isn’t mentioned in Whitey’s 1987 autobiography or Miles Coverdale’s 2006 biography, or… pretty much anywhere, but I’m pretty sure this is right.
Erwin and Edith married in June 1928. In the 1930 census, Erwin and Edith live with their son Erwin Paulke Jr. By 1940, Erwin Jr. was known as Edward Paulke, Erwin Sr. is gone, and James Joseph Ford is now living with Edith as a lodger. On the 1950 census, James and Edith have since married, and Edward Paulke is now Edward Ford, noted to be a professional baseball player.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X42J-LQF
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7M1-LHX
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XYM-2SKV
So, in short, “Erwin Charles Paulke Jr.” became “Edward Charles ‘Whitey’ Ford”.
what luck? https://www.mlb.com/news/whitey-ford-dies
RIP :(