
Born: February 2, 1937 in Linden, TX
High School: Dorsey (Los Angeles, CA)
School: University of Southern California
Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1959.
(All Transactions)
Debut: September 14, 1963
Final Game: October 3, 1972
Relatives: Father of Damon Buford
About biographical information
The Human Karaoke Experience sponsor(s) this page.
America's #1 live karaoke band remembers this late bloomer, who turned into an OB machine under Earl Weaver. His combination of switch hitting, OB, power, and speed made him an underrated, yet outstanding offensive player.
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 26 | CHW | AL | 12 | 48 | 42 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | .286 | .354 | .405 | .759 | 115 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | /54 | |
| 1964 | 27 | CHW | AL | 135 | 504 | 442 | 62 | 116 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 12 | 7 | 46 | 62 | .262 | .337 | .348 | .685 | 94 | 154 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 45 | |
| 1965 | 28 | CHW | AL | 155 | 668 | 586 | 93 | 166 | 22 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 17 | 7 | 67 | 76 | .283 | .358 | .389 | .747 | 120 | 228 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | *45 | MVP-25 |
| 1966 | 29 | CHW | AL | 163 | 698 | 607 | 85 | 148 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 52 | 51 | 22 | 69 | 71 | .244 | .323 | .349 | .672 | 100 | 212 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 3 | *54/79 | |
| 1967 | 30 | CHW | AL | 156 | 609 | 535 | 61 | 129 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 32 | 34 | 21 | 65 | 51 | .241 | .322 | .316 | .638 | 96 | 169 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | *54/7 | |
| 1968 | 31 | BAL | AL | 130 | 494 | 426 | 65 | 120 | 13 | 4 | 15 | 46 | 27 | 12 | 57 | 46 | .282 | .367 | .437 | .804 | 142 | 186 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 487/59 | MVP-15 |
| 1969 | 32 | BAL | AL | 144 | 663 | 554 | 99 | 161 | 31 | 3 | 11 | 64 | 19 | 18 | 96 | 62 | .291 | .397 | .417 | .814 | 128 | 231 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | *74/5 | |
| 1970 | 33 | BAL | AL | 144 | 629 | 504 | 99 | 137 | 15 | 2 | 17 | 66 | 16 | 8 | 109 | 55 | .272 | .406 | .411 | .816 | 126 | 207 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | *7/45 | MVP-20 |
| 1971 | 34 | BAL | AL | 122 | 549 | 449 | 99 | 130 | 19 | 4 | 19 | 54 | 15 | 7 | 89 | 62 | .290 | .413 | .477 | .890 | 153 | 214 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 15 | *7 | AS,MVP-27 |
| 1972 | 35 | BAL | AL | 125 | 485 | 408 | 46 | 84 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 69 | 83 | .206 | .326 | .267 | .593 | 76 | 109 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | *7 | |
| 10 Seasons | 1286 | 5347 | 4553 | 718 | 1203 | 157 | 44 | 93 | 418 | 200 | 105 | 672 | 575 | .264 | .362 | .379 | .741 | 115 | 1727 | 34 | 41 | 47 | 34 | 57 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 674 | 574 | 90 | 152 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 53 | 25 | 13 | 85 | 72 | .264 | .362 | .379 | .741 | 115 | 218 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | |||||
| BAL (5 yrs) | 665 | 2820 | 2341 | 408 | 632 | 84 | 15 | 67 | 252 | 85 | 48 | 420 | 308 | .270 | .385 | .405 | .789 | 126 | 947 | 14 | 28 | 12 | 19 | 45 | |||||
| CHW (5 yrs) | 621 | 2527 | 2212 | 310 | 571 | 73 | 29 | 26 | 166 | 115 | 57 | 252 | 267 | .258 | .335 | .353 | .688 | 103 | 780 | 20 | 13 | 35 | 15 | 12 | |||||
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Series | Opp | Rslt | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 32 | BAL | AL | ALCS | MIN | W | 3 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .286 | .412 | .357 | .769 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | 32 | BAL | AL | WS | NYM | L | 5 | 22 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .100 | .182 | .300 | .482 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | 33 | BAL | AL | ALCS | MIN | W | 2 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .429 | .500 | .857 | 1.357 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970 | 33 | BAL | AL | WS | CIN | W | 4 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .267 | .389 | .467 | .856 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | 34 | BAL | AL | ALCS | OAK | W | 2 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .429 | .556 | .714 | 1.270 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | 34 | BAL | AL | WS | PIT | L | 6 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .261 | .346 | .565 | .911 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 Seasons (6 Series) | 22 | 102 | 86 | 13 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 10 | .256 | .363 | .488 | .851 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 3 ALCS | 7 | 36 | 28 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | .357 | .472 | .571 | 1.044 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 3 WS | 15 | 66 | 58 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | .207 | .303 | .448 | .751 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Year | Tm | Lg | Age | Pos | G | GS | Inn | Ch | PO | A | E | DP | Fld% | Rtot | Rtot/yr | Rtz | Rtzrd | Rtzhm | Rof | Rdp | RF/9 | RF/G | lgFld% | lgRF9 | lgRFG | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 26 | 3B | 9 | 8 | 78.0 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 1 | .955 | -1.7 | -26.2 | -1.7 | -0.5 | -1.3 | 0 | 2.42 | 2.33 | .945 | 3.02 | 2.84 | ||
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 26 | 2B | 2 | 2 | 13.0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .800 | -0.3 | -27.7 | -0.3 | -0.1 | -0.2 | 0 | 2.77 | 2.00 | .980 | 5.05 | 4.70 | ||
| 1964 | CHW | AL | 27 | 2B | 92 | 85 | 713.1 | 407 | 196 | 198 | 13 | 60 | .968 | -0.4 | -0.7 | -0.4 | 2.7 | -3.1 | 0 | 4.97 | 4.28 | .980 | 5.17 | 4.54 | ||
| 1964 | CHW | AL | 27 | 3B | 37 | 22 | 224.0 | 96 | 30 | 63 | 3 | 5 | .969 | 4.2 | 22.5 | 4.2 | -0.5 | 4.7 | 0 | 3.74 | 2.51 | .954 | 3.03 | 2.76 | ||
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 28 | 2B | 139 | 128 | 1105.1 | 696 | 326 | 357 | 13 | 93 | .981 | 13.5 | 14.7 | 12.5 | 5.6 | 6.9 | 1 | 5.56 | 4.91 | .978 | 5.07 | 4.38 | MVP-25 | |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 28 | 3B | 41 | 15 | 180.1 | 73 | 13 | 59 | 1 | 9 | .986 | 6.5 | 43.3 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.59 | 1.76 | .959 | 3.13 | 2.87 | MVP-25 | |
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 29 | 3B | 133 | 121 | 1096.2 | 425 | 98 | 301 | 26 | 24 | .939 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 13.2 | -2.1 | 15.3 | 0 | 3.27 | 3.00 | .955 | 3.03 | 2.80 | ||
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 29 | 2B | 37 | 31 | 270.0 | 177 | 88 | 81 | 8 | 18 | .955 | -3.7 | -16.4 | -2.7 | -2.8 | 0.1 | -1 | 5.63 | 4.57 | .976 | 5.09 | 4.38 | ||
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 29 | OF | 11 | 6 | 59.2 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.5 | 10.1 | 0.5 | -0.2 | 0.6 | 0 | 2.11 | 1.27 | .979 | 2.10 | 1.82 | ||
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 29 | LF | 8 | 4 | 39.2 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.9 | 27.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0 | 2.27 | 1.25 | .980 | 1.84 | 1.45 | ||
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 29 | RF | 3 | 2 | 20.0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | -0.4 | -24.0 | -0.4 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 0 | 1.35 | 1.00 | .967 | 1.93 | 1.70 | ||
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 30 | 3B | 121 | 94 | 918.0 | 364 | 95 | 250 | 19 | 16 | .948 | 7.4 | 9.7 | 8.4 | -1.6 | 10.0 | -1 | 3.38 | 2.85 | .955 | 3.13 | 2.72 | ||
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 30 | 2B | 51 | 39 | 328.0 | 209 | 102 | 99 | 8 | 30 | .962 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.7 | -0.1 | 0.8 | 0 | 5.52 | 3.94 | .979 | 4.95 | 4.19 | ||
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 30 | LF | 1 | 1 | 7.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.1 | 17.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1.29 | 1.00 | 1.000 | 1.93 | 1.40 | ||
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 30 | OF | 1 | 1 | 7.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.1 | 17.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 1.29 | 1.00 | 1.000 | 2.06 | 1.80 | ||
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | OF | 65 | 66 | 510.2 | 134 | 130 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 8.0 | 18.8 | 8.0 | 5.9 | 2.1 | 0 | 2.36 | 2.06 | .981 | 2.08 | 1.80 | MVP-15 | |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | 2B | 58 | 37 | 369.1 | 224 | 109 | 107 | 8 | 22 | .964 | -4.7 | -15.3 | -4.7 | -3.8 | -1.0 | 0 | 5.26 | 3.72 | .977 | 5.11 | 4.34 | MVP-15 | |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | CF | 42 | 42 | 296.0 | 85 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 12.2 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 | -1 | 2.58 | 2.02 | .986 | 2.53 | 2.25 | MVP-15 | |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | LF | 27 | 22 | 200.2 | 47 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3.9 | 23.3 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1 | 2.11 | 1.74 | .977 | 1.85 | 1.45 | MVP-15 | |
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | 3B | 2 | 1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.5 | -75.0 | -0.5 | -0.2 | -0.3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.04 | 2.65 | MVP-15 | ||||
| 1968 | BAL | AL | 31 | RF | 2 | 2 | 14.0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.1 | 94.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 3.86 | 3.00 | .983 | 1.86 | 1.55 | MVP-15 | |
| 1969 | BAL | AL | 32 | LF | 128 | 128 | 1121.2 | 236 | 225 | 7 | 4 | 1 | .983 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 5.8 | -0.7 | 6.5 | 1 | 1.86 | 1.81 | .978 | 1.99 | 1.60 | ||
| 1969 | BAL | AL | 32 | OF | 128 | 128 | 1121.2 | 239 | 228 | 7 | 4 | 1 | .983 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 5.8 | -0.7 | 6.5 | 1 | 1.89 | 1.84 | .978 | 2.13 | 1.84 | ||
| 1969 | BAL | AL | 32 | 2B | 10 | 8 | 70.0 | 45 | 22 | 21 | 2 | 2 | .956 | 2.3 | 39.4 | 2.3 | -0.1 | 2.4 | 0 | 5.53 | 4.30 | .976 | 5.21 | 4.58 | ||
| 1969 | BAL | AL | 32 | 3B | 6 | 3 | 33.0 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1.000 | 1.4 | 50.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0 | 4.09 | 2.50 | .953 | 3.16 | 2.73 | ||
| 1970 | BAL | AL | 33 | OF | 130 | 125 | 1117.2 | 237 | 221 | 13 | 3 | 3 | .987 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 1.7 | -3.1 | 4.9 | 2 | 1.88 | 1.80 | .980 | 2.14 | 1.85 | MVP-20 | |
| 1970 | BAL | AL | 33 | LF | 129 | 125 | 1117.2 | 232 | 220 | 10 | 2 | 2 | .991 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 1.7 | -3.1 | 4.9 | 2 | 1.85 | 1.78 | .978 | 1.81 | 1.48 | MVP-20 | |
| 1970 | BAL | AL | 33 | 2B | 3 | 1 | 15.0 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | .857 | 0.2 | 16.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 | -0.6 | 0 | 3.60 | 2.00 | .986 | 5.34 | 4.63 | MVP-20 | |
| 1970 | BAL | AL | 33 | 3B | 3 | 2 | 25.0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | -0.3 | -14.4 | -0.3 | -0.5 | 0.2 | 0 | 1.08 | 1.00 | .933 | 3.06 | 2.67 | MVP-20 | |
| 1971 | BAL | AL | 34 | LF | 115 | 113 | 988.2 | 223 | 215 | 5 | 3 | 0 | .987 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 2.3 | -0.9 | 1 | 2.00 | 1.91 | .981 | 1.93 | 1.60 | AS,MVP-27 | |
| 1971 | BAL | AL | 34 | OF | 115 | 113 | 988.2 | 226 | 217 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .987 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 2.3 | -0.9 | 1 | 2.03 | 1.94 | .982 | 2.24 | 1.96 | AS,MVP-27 | |
| 1972 | BAL | AL | 35 | LF | 105 | 101 | 903.1 | 182 | 173 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .989 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.6 | -0.9 | 0 | 1.79 | 1.71 | .980 | 1.89 | 1.53 | ||
| 1972 | BAL | AL | 35 | OF | 105 | 101 | 903.1 | 181 | 173 | 6 | 2 | 1 | .989 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.6 | -0.9 | 0 | 1.78 | 1.70 | .983 | 2.22 | 1.91 | ||
| 7 Seasons | OF | 555 | 540 | 4708.2 | 1032 | 983 | 37 | 12 | 5 | .988 | 23.3 | 5.9 | 19.3 | 6.9 | 12.3 | 4 | 1.95 | 1.84 | .980 | 2.17 | 1.88 | |||||
| 7 Seasons | LF | 513 | 494 | 4378.2 | 931 | 888 | 32 | 11 | 4 | .988 | 19.6 | 5.4 | 14.6 | 3.5 | 11.0 | 5 | 1.89 | 1.79 | .979 | 1.90 | 1.54 | |||||
| 8 Seasons | 2B | 392 | 331 | 2884.0 | 1770 | 848 | 868 | 54 | 225 | .969 | 7.6 | 3.2 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 5.3 | 0 | 5.36 | 4.38 | .978 | 5.09 | 4.40 | |||||
| 8 Seasons | 3B | 352 | 266 | 2563.0 | 998 | 252 | 696 | 50 | 57 | .950 | 30.2 | 14.1 | 30.2 | -3.0 | 33.1 | 0 | 3.33 | 2.69 | .955 | 3.07 | 2.77 | |||||
| 1 Season | CF | 42 | 42 | 296.0 | 85 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 12.2 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 | -1 | 2.58 | 2.02 | .986 | 2.53 | 2.25 | |||||
| 2 Seasons | RF | 5 | 4 | 34.0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.7 | 24.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | -0.2 | 0 | 2.38 | 1.80 | .978 | 1.91 | 1.64 | |||||
| 10 Seasons | TOT | 1299 | 1137 | 10155.2 | 3800 | 2083 | 1601 | 116 | 287 | .969 | 61.1 | 7.2 | 57.1 | 6.1 | 50.7 | 4 | 0 | 3.26 | 2.84 | .942 | 3.23 | 2.88 | ||||
| Pos | G | GS | Inn | Ch | PO | A | E | DP | Fld% | Rtot | Rtot/yr | Rtz | Rtzrd | Rtzhm | Rof | Rdp | RF/9 | RF/G | lgFld% | lgRF9 | lgRFG | Awards | ||||
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| Black Ink | Batting - 4 (411), Average HOFer ≈ 27 |
| Gray Ink | Batting - 59 (419), Average HOFer ≈ 144 |
| Hall of Fame Monitor | Batting - 8 (1234), Likely HOFer ≈ 100 |
| Hall of Fame Standards | Batting - 18 (794), Average HOFer ≈ 50 |
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Before 1959 Season: Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent.
November 29, 1967: Traded by the Chicago White Sox with Bruce Howard and Roger Nelson to the Baltimore Orioles for Luis Aparicio, John Matias and Russ Snyder.
February 2, 1973: Released by the Baltimore Orioles.
Error? Compare Search SABR's Baseball Index Other Links@google.com Baseball Library Baseball-Almanac.com Retrosheet The Baseball Cube The Baseball Page WhatIfSports: Don Buford
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Name and misspellings:
Donald Alvin dave Don donald Buford
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