[10] In 1962, his last year of minor-league baseball, he played 80 games at third base and 83 in the outfield for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.

After he was selected to the International League All-Star team in 1962 as an outfielder,[citation needed] Ward received a September trial with Baltimore; he hit .143 with two doubles in 21 at bats.

[10] Although he would be known in the major leagues as a third baseman, the big-league Orioles possessed future Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson,[12] only two months older than Ward (May 18, 1937),[13] at the position.

By the time Ward was called up in 1962, Robinson had been the Orioles starting third baseman for years, was an All-Star (1960-1962) and was about to win his third Gold Glove Award at third base.

[7] On January 14, 1963, Ward was included in one of the off-season's biggest transactions when the Orioles traded him, future Hall of Fame pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, shortstop Ron Hansen and outfielder Dave Nicholson to the White Sox for shortstop and future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio and veteran outfielder Al Smith.

[9] He appeared in only 84 games in 1966, and although he was able to play regularly as the White Sox' left fielder in 1967 and third baseman in 1968, only his power numbers (18 and 15 home runs) remained robust.

[9] He related that during his tenure with the Sox, his team engaged in sign stealing that involved a scout on a chair next to the flagpole at center field with binoculars.

The scout would signal a pitch based on if he sat on the chair, stood up, or leaned on a pole, although Ward stated that it would sometimes confuse a hitter's swing.

[24][5] Ward was supposed to be featured on the June 7, 1965 cover of Sports Illustrated, but was replaced with a photo from Muhammad Ali's fight against Sonny Liston,[7] that had taken place on May 25, 1965 in Bangor, Maine.