Don Buford, baseball player, 1963-1972

Don Buford

Born: 2/2/1937 in Linden, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1963-09-14 | Final Game: 1972-10-03

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'7" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: Don Alvin Buford

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Biography

Don Buford, born in 1937, was a versatile position player who carved out a notable career in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1972. He played primarily for the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, showcasing his skills as both a consistent hitter and a base-stealing threat. Over the course of 1,286 games, Buford accumulated 1,203 hits, 93 home runs, and 418 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of .264. His speed on the bases was evident, as he successfully stole 200 bases, demonstrating his ability to impact games not just with his bat but also with his agility. Buford's career was highlighted by an All-Star selection, representing his talent on a national stage. He played during a dynamic era of baseball that saw the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game, helping to pave the way for the explosive hitting that would define the sport in the years to come. His contributions were particularly significant in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where he played an integral role in the Baltimore Orioles' success, including their championship run. Buford remains a respected figure in baseball history, known for his all-around capabilities and enduring impact on the teams he played for.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1286 4553 718 1203 157 44 93 418 200 672 575 0.264 0.362 0.379 0.741 9982.9

Career AVG .264 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — +7.1% above league average.

Career OBP .362 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — +15.7% above league average.

Career SLG .379 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.741 vs. league average 0.680 across their career seasons — +9.0% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1963 CHW AL 12 42 9 12 1 2 0 5 1 5 7 0.286 — — — — 0.0
1964 CHW AL 135 442 62 116 14 6 4 30 12 46 62 0.262 .250 (+5%) .312 (+8%) .377 (-8%) .690 (-1%) 56.7
1965 CHW AL 155 586 93 166 22 5 10 47 17 67 76 0.283 .245 (+15%) .310 (+15%) .371 (+5%) .682 (+9%) 1261.9
1966 CHW AL 163 607 85 148 26 7 8 52 51 69 71 0.244 .248 (-2%) .309 (+4%) .376 (-7%) .685 (-2%) -87.6
1967 CHW AL 156 535 61 129 10 9 4 32 34 65 51 0.241 .242 (-1%) .306 (+5%) .357 (-12%) .663 (-4%) -235.4
1968 BAL AL 130 426 65 120 13 4 15 46 27 57 46 0.282 .236 (+19%) .298 (+23%) .340 (+28%) .638 (+26%) 2090.4
1969 BAL AL 144 554 99 161 31 3 11 64 19 96 62 0.291 .248 (+17%) .320 (+24%) .369 (+13%) .689 (+18%) 2333.9
1970 BAL AL 144 504 99 137 15 2 17 66 16 109 55 0.272 .253 (+7%) .325 (+25%) .385 (+7%) .711 (+15%) 2074.5
1971 BAL AL 122 449 99 130 19 4 19 54 15 89 62 0.290 .249 (+16%) .316 (+30%) .365 (+30%) .682 (+30%) 2969.5
1972 BAL AL 125 408 46 84 6 2 5 22 8 69 83 0.206 .243 (-16%) .310 (+5%) .353 (-25%) .664 (-11%) -481.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
22 86 13 22 3 1 5 11 15 10 0.256

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1971 ALCS BAL 2 7 1 3 0 1 0 0 2 1 0.429
1971 WS BAL 6 23 3 6 1 0 2 4 3 3 0.261
1970 ALCS BAL 2 7 2 3 0 0 1 3 2 0 0.429
1970 WS BAL 4 15 3 4 0 0 1 1 3 2 0.267
1969 ALCS BAL 3 14 3 4 1 0 0 1 3 0 0.286
1969 WS BAL 5 20 1 2 1 0 1 2 2 4 0.100

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 392 331 848 868 54 225
3B 352 266 252 696 50 57
OF 555 540 983 37 12 5

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1963 CHA 2B 2 2 3 1 1 0
1963 CHA 3B 9 8 10 11 1 1
1964 CHA 2B 92 85 196 198 13 60
1964 CHA 3B 37 22 30 63 3 5
1965 CHA 2B 139 128 326 357 13 93
1965 CHA 3B 41 15 13 59 1 9
1966 CHA 2B 37 31 88 81 8 18
1966 CHA 3B 133 121 98 301 26 24
1966 CHA OF 11 6 13 1 0 0
1967 CHA 2B 51 39 102 99 8 30
1967 CHA 3B 121 94 95 250 19 16
1967 CHA OF 1 1 1 0 0 0
1968 BAL 2B 58 37 109 107 8 22
1968 BAL 3B 2 1 0 0 0 0
1968 BAL OF 65 66 130 4 0 0
1969 BAL 2B 10 8 22 21 2 2
1969 BAL 3B 6 3 5 10 0 2
1969 BAL OF 128 128 228 7 4 1
1970 BAL 2B 3 1 2 4 1 0
1970 BAL 3B 3 2 1 2 0 0
1970 BAL OF 130 125 221 13 3 3
1971 BAL OF 115 113 217 6 3 0
1972 BAL OF 105 101 173 6 2 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 393
Third Base 354
Left Field 513
Center Field 42
Right Field 5

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Southern California Los Angeles CA 1958, 1959

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1971 Most Valuable Player AL 27th 2.0 336 0
1970 Most Valuable Player AL 20th 12.0 336 0
1968 Most Valuable Player AL 15th 11.0 280 0
1965 Most Valuable Player AL 25th 3.0 280 0