Yankee Team Issue I.D. Help
 

Do any of you have any information about the sets that these two Whitey Fords came from? Both are almost perfectly square and about 4" across (they are not to scale). To my eye, the one with the facsimile signature appears to be quite old, perhaps from the 50s. The one listing Ford as a coach is presumably from the 70s. Do any of you have any other information? I've never seen anything from either of these sets before. Thanks.

Message AustinMike. He has an insane Yankees team issue/picture pack collection and may know.

I believe the photo on the right is from the 4x5 1974 Syracuse Chiefs set which included Yankees greats such as Ford and Mantle.

Paul,

I've attached some of my Fords. Your photo with the facsimile auto is similar to the big one I have on the upper right. That comes from a team issued set that I believe was issued in 1955. The same photo with a slightly different cropping was used in 1956. Your photo seems to be the same photo but with a much different cropping. I have no idea where it came from other than it is probably a team issued photo. I would agree it's probably from the 1950s.

Your other photo is from the early 1970s, I think probably 1973. I think it is also a team issued photo. I have Ford and several other players with the same type font. Based on the years the various players played with the Yankees, it could be anywhere from 1972 to 1974.

The large photo looks like the photo used for his 51 Bowman card.

I located my set and confirmed that the Ford on the right is from the 1974 Syracuse Chiefs set.

I also checked to see what else I had, and I was definitely wrong about the year. Ford wasn't a Yankees coach in 1973, but he was in 1974 and 1975. I also had more photos than I thought for that group. I actually have 24 photos with that font and all 24 players/coaches/manager are shown in the 1974 Yankees yearbook. I've attached copies of some of them. So, your Ford could be from a 1974 Yankees team photo set. And I have no idea how they were distributed. I don't know what your photo is printed on or the 1974 Syracuse Chiefs photo, but these are on glossy photographic paper if that helps.

Also Chris, I meant to say thanks for the kind words, although my collection of Yankee photos isn't "insane." It's only slightly loony at this point. If I were to get every team issued photo since 1951, then it would be insane. And since I'm not even sure what's out there, it may never reach insane status. I think I would be happy with seriously deranged. :D

That Munson is a great piece!

Again, the Ford, as well as the Munson, are from the Syracuse Chiefs set which was 28 glossy photos including Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle and DiMaggio.

Thank you all for your help.

Paul