Great Don Buford Interview

[Frobby]

Terrific piece from David Laurila from Fangraphs.   
 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/a-conversation-with-former-white-sox-and-orioles-if-of-don-buford/

[Ridgway22]

Laurila: You mentioned Jim Palmer. I assume you know you had a lot of success against him (seven for 13, with three walks, and no strikeouts). 

Buford: “Yes, I remind him of that. He doesn’t say anything.”

 

At the 1970 Orioles reunion at Camden, I was at the luncheon table with Jim Palmer, Roy Firestone, and a couple from Iowa. I had seen the O's vs. the Tokyo Giants in Tokyo Japan in 1971, when I was 9. (My first pro game, and the reason I became an O's fan) Before that reunion, I scoured the internet for any box scores or info I could find on their trip. The only one I found was a game in which Palmer gave up 3 homers. I mentioned it, and he remembered each of the homers, the pitch he threw, and called the park a bandbox. The man has a steel trap memory. I'd guess he remembers facing Buford....

I had a fantasy back in the day LJ Hoes would be a Buford re-incarnate. I also thought I would marry Elle Macpherson.

[tntoriole]

He managed at Bluefield for a couple of years towards the end of his stay in the organization...he was out there once helping roll out the tarp during a rain delay and I later asked him about that and he said it was “all in a day’s work.”   

He was always out before the rookie league games, working on getting leads and jumps with the young kid players. 

[OFFNY]

o

 

Happy birthday, Mr. Buford.

 

84

 

o

[spiritof66]

On 6/27/2020 at 9:50 PM, Ridgway22 said:

 .  .  .

At the 1970 Orioles reunion at Camden, I was at the luncheon table with Jim Palmer, Roy Firestone, and a couple from Iowa. I had seen the O's vs. the Tokyo Giants in Tokyo Japan in 1971, when I was 9. (My first pro game, and the reason I became an O's fan) Before that reunion, I scoured the internet for any box scores or info I could find on their trip. The only one I found was a game in which Palmer gave up 3 homers. I mentioned it, and he remembered each of the homers, the pitch he threw, and called the park a bandbox. The man has a steel trap memory. I'd guess he remembers facing Buford....

.  .  .

Were any of those HRs grand slams, by any chance?  

[Tony-OH]

I had plenty of opportunities to talk with Don and sit and watch minor league games together back in the early 2000s when he was farm director. He was very knowledgeable about the game overall and was unfortunately more of a figurehead as Farm Director under Syd Thrift who made moves with personnel often without informing Don.

He was always gracious with the fans from what I saw and was always willing to help on the coaching side. 

 

Happy 84th to a true Orioles HoFer.

 

[Frobby]

10 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I had plenty of opportunities to talk with Don and sit and watch minor league games together back in the early 2000s when he was farm director.

I completely forgot he once held that job.   

[OsFanSinceThe80s]