New York Yankees Grieve Death of Iconic 1950s Duo’s Beloved Partners

When New York Yankees legend Elston Howard passed away on Dec. 14, 1980, his wife Arlene told The New York Times, ”Death no longer has any fear for me, believing that I could be with my husband again afterward.” She spent months mourning for the man who had changed the landscape of the Bronx in baseball. Now, Arlene can be at peace with Elston, the beloved couple together once again.

When talking about the Bombers of the past, it’s impossible not to mention an iconic era of the last century. Although the Bronx has lost many of those players now, including Whitey Ford and Elston Howard, the legendary duo of the 1950s is still fondly remembered today. More importantly, so are their families.

New York Yankees mourn the passing of Arlene Howard and Joan Ford

Although Elston Howard was lost to the world too early at 51 because of a heart condition, Arlene Howard would survive him for 43 more years. Joan Ford was perhaps luckier, because she got to live with her beloved husband until Oct. 8, 2020. But as the New York Yankees just posted on X, formerly Twitter, both baseball wives have also left for their heavenly abodes.

The condolences read, “The Yankees mourn the loss of the wives of two Yankees legends, Joan Ford, wife of Whitey Ford, and Arlene Howard, the wife of Elston Howard. Both women were guests of honor at Yankees Old-Timers’ Days and carried on the legacies of their husbands. The Yankees offer our heartfelt condolences to the Ford and Howard families.”

While Ford will always be remembered as a legendary pitcher in the annals of the Bronx, Howard left a legacy of his own by replacing the likes of Yogi Berra. Not only that, but the talented catcher was the first ever person of color to win an AL MVP. Teammates always remembered him as a jolly guy, who arrived on the Bronx baseball scene at a time when segregation ran strong.

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Although not quite the radical Jackie Robinson was with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Howard still made waves as the first Black Yankees player. It wasn’t easy, as Arlene told the Times, ”There were times when Elston would come home angry – people never knew that – and I felt the brunt. I had to be wife, mother and psychiatrist sometimes, but I wanted to be.”

That Yankees era, and the changing sentiments regarding Black consciousness around the country, were among the hardest to witness for the Howards. But with teammates like Ford on his side, Elston knew he had people he could count on.

With unfortunate timing, it’s not only Arlene who is being mourned, but also Ford’s wife. While not much is known about the Hall of Fame pitcher’s other half, an obituary on Joan Ford tells the tale of her interesting life. Married for 69 years, the Fords were a happy couple surrounded by a large family. The obituary states the official date of death as December 18 for the 92-year-old Joan.

The couples now reunited once again, may their souls rest in peace.

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