ASTORIA – Council Member Costa Constantinides, District 22, issued the following statement on the passing of Yankees legend Whitey Ford, an Astoria native, at 91. 

“Today, New York City lost one of Astoria’s proudest sons and one of the greatest Yankees of all time. Edward Charles ‘Whitey’ Ford represented the best of this hard-working community, where kids of modest means can grow up to be legends. More than 50 years after his retirement, the Chairman of the Board still boasts several Yankee pitching records. Whitey Ford represented what it means to be a Yankee: a determined team player who wants to bring greatness to his City. That legacy will live on every time an Astoria kid swings a bat at Whitey Ford Field and when every Yankee dons the pinstripes. As an Astoria native and a proud Yankees fan, my heart is heavy today. I want to send my deepest condolences to Whitey Ford’s family, who I’ve had the honor to get to know in recent years. My thoughts and prayers are with them.”

Council Member Costa Constantinides represents the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria along with parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. He serves as the chair of the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee and sits on three additional committees: Sanitation, Resiliency, and Technology. For more information, visit council.nyc.gov/costa.