Russel Ford

Player
Written By Karina Bueckert

  • BIRTHPLACE Brandon, MB

  • BORN April 25, 1883

  • INDUCTED 2004

Russel Ford was born in Brandon, Manitoba on April 25, 1883. Ford was an outstanding right handed pitcher who had a 99-71 record with a 2.59 Earned Run Average (ERA) over seven major league seasons. Ford left Brandon at the age of nine and played minor pro ball for several years starting in 1905 with the Atlanta Crackers. Ford discovered the Emery Pitch in 1907 while practicing with his pitcher. In 1910 his record with the New York Highlanders was 26-6. Ford had an ERA of 1.65 that season. Ford later refused a pay cut with New York and went to Buffalo in the Federal League (1914) where his record was 21-6 with a 1.82 ERA. Canadian baseball historian William Humber in his book, Diamonds of North, calls Ford “Manitoba’s greatest baseball star.”

Karina Bueckert
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