Don Buford

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Buford's journey to Baltimore began on November 29, 1967, when he was traded from the Chicago White Sox along with Bruce Howard and Roger Nelson for Luis Aparicio, Russ Snyder, and John Matias. Initially used as a backup second baseman in 1968, his career transformed when Earl Weaver replaced Hank Bauer mid-season. Weaver immediately moved Buford to the outfield and installed him as the leadoff hitter. In his first game under Weaver, Buford hit a home run, finishing that stretch with a .298 average, 11 home runs, 45 walks, and 45 runs in just 82 games.

In Their Own Story

The 1969 World Series against the New York Mets remains a defining moment for Buford. In Game One, he launched a leadoff home run against fellow USC Trojan Tom Seaver, marking the first time a player led off a World Series with a homer. Although the Orioles won that game 4-1, Buford went hitless in his next 16 at-bats as the Mets swept the series. Redemption arrived in 1970 when Baltimore defeated the Cincinnati Reds. Buford played in four of those five games, going 4-for-15 with a home run in Game Three that helped secure a 9-3 victory. He finished his Orioles tenure with a career-high 19 home runs in 1971 and was selected to his only All-Star team.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note that Buford's most significant achievements occurred after his trade from Chicago, where he struggled at third base. In Baltimore, his switch-hitting ability allowed him to lead off the lineup effectively, scoring 99 runs in each of the three pennant-winning seasons (1969-1971) and leading the American League in that category in 1971. He holds unique records as the first Oriole to homer from both sides of the plate in a single game on April 9, 1970, against Cleveland. Conversely, he also became the first Oriole to strike out five times in one game on August 26, 1971, against his former team, the White Sox, earning a fine from the 'Kangaroo Court' led by Frank Robinson.

Did You Know?

• Buford hit a leadoff home run in the first game of the 1969 World Series against Tom Seaver, one of only four players to ever accomplish this feat.
• After refusing a $10,000 pay cut from the Orioles following the 1972 season, he moved to Japan where his salary was doubled by the Taiheiyo Club Lions.
• He led the American League in runs scored (99) during the 1971 season and committed zero errors across all 15 World Series games played in his career.
• Buford was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 for baseball, having previously won the Jacob Gimbel Athletic Attitude Award at USC in May 1959.