Whitey Ford! Spent a couple days hunting with a Yankee pitcher from that era. He told me what a great athlete Ellie Howard was. Yet after many of Ford's pitches, Ellie would seem to lose his balance. While setting himself he'd conviently reach down with the ball in his hand to regain his balance, and rough it on the ground. Or he'd drop the ball by his right leg and while picking it up slide it against his shin guard hook, which was razor sharp, before tossing it back to Whitey. Guy told me, ball was so mutilated when it got back to him, Whitey couldn't throw it straight if he tried!!