 After having a long umpiring career, Ford decided he was ready to retire.He was granted retirement status in 2001.He was well known for being behind the plate for Game 6 of the 1986 World Series for Bill Buckner's error; for being behind the plate during a 1993 game between the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers where Robin Ventura charged the mound after being hit by a Nolan Ryan pitch, provoking a bench-clearing brawl in which Ryan repeatedly punched Ventura; for ejecting Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver from a game during the national anthem; and for ejecting Reggie Jackson from a game only to have Jackson begin throwing all the contents of the dugout onto the playing field.