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Don Alvin Buford
Chicago White Sox
Second Base
Born: February 2, 1937, Linden, TX
Signed: Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent, November 1959
Major League Teams: Chicago White Sox 1963-1967; Baltimore Orioles 1968-1972
Don Buford started his 10-year big league career as a speedy infielder for the White Sox and ended as a World Series hero and left fielder for the Orioles. With the White Sox, he stole a career high 51 bases in 1966, a year in which he also led the league in sacrifices with 17. After establishing himself as one of the best lead-off hitters in the league, the White Sox traded him along with Bruce Howard (#41) and Roger Nelson to the Orioles for Luis Aparicio (#410), John Matias and Russ Snyder (#204) on November 29, 1967.
With the Orioles, Buford was atop a line-up that went to the World Series three years in a row between 1969 and 1971, winning it all against the Reds in 1970. In 1969, he became the first player to lead-off Game 1 of the World Series with a home run, hitting it off future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver. Buford was an All-Star in 1971 and led the league with 99 runs scored. He departed for Japan for the 1973 season and batted .270 over four seasons, retiring after 1976.
Buford returned to baseball in 1981 as a coach for the Giants, managed by his former Orioles teammate, Frank Robinson (#120). He stayed with Robinson in San Francisco through 1984, then followed him briefly to Baltimore in 1988 and 1994, and again to Washington in 2005. His son Damon Buford played with the Orioles, Mets, Rangers, Red Sox and Cubs between 1993 and 2001.
Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #183
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged. Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 5 cards I added from eBay seller Super Bowl Auctions from Marco Island, Florida. This Buford card was $2.75.
The Card / White Sox Team Set
Buford earned his first solo card after appearing in the 1964 Topps set on a shared Rookie Stars card with Fritz Ackley (#477). He wore #24 his first two seasons with the White Sox before switching to #7 for the 1965 season. On the back, his 1963 batting title won while a member of the Indianapolis Indians is highlighted. Reference is also made to Nellie Fox (#485), who Buford replaced as the club's every day second baseman. Fox had been the team's regular second baseman since 1950, and his trade to the Colt .45s on December 10, 1963 cleared the way for Buford.
1965 Season
Buford appeared in 155 games, batting .283 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs. He made 128 starts at second and 15 starts at third, foreshadowing is future position change. Al Weis (#516) started the other 34 games at second base.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #368
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10): 1964-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2002 Topps Super Teams #107
84 - Buford non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/28/20.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #183
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged. Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 5 cards I added from eBay seller Super Bowl Auctions from Marco Island, Florida. This Buford card was $2.75.
The Card / White Sox Team Set
Buford earned his first solo card after appearing in the 1964 Topps set on a shared Rookie Stars card with Fritz Ackley (#477). He wore #24 his first two seasons with the White Sox before switching to #7 for the 1965 season. On the back, his 1963 batting title won while a member of the Indianapolis Indians is highlighted. Reference is also made to Nellie Fox (#485), who Buford replaced as the club's every day second baseman. Fox had been the team's regular second baseman since 1950, and his trade to the Colt .45s on December 10, 1963 cleared the way for Buford.
1965 Season
Buford appeared in 155 games, batting .283 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs. He made 128 starts at second and 15 starts at third, foreshadowing is future position change. Al Weis (#516) started the other 34 games at second base.
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First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #368
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10): 1964-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2002 Topps Super Teams #107
84 - Buford non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/28/20.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
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