Former Tribe MVP inducted into IL Hall of Fame (original) (raw)

Don Buford earned Minor League Player of the Year honors in 1963

By Matt Segal

January 29, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Don Buford, the 1963 International League and Indianapolis Indians Most Valuable Player, has been inducted into the IL Hall of Fame. This year's 27-member class includes players, field managers, general managers, owners and broadcasters.

Buford helped Indianapolis to an 86-67 regular season and IL Governors' Cup Championship in 1963. The Tribe infielder led the league in batting average (.336), hits (206), runs (114), doubles (41) and stolen bases (42) that season.

A native of Linden, Texas, Buford earned several accolades in 1963. He was honored by the Sporting News as Minor League Baseball's Player of the Year in addition to being named both league and team MVP.

Buford, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound switch hitter, signed with the Chicago White Sox as an undrafted amateur free agent on Jan. 1, 1959. He went on to enjoy parts of 10 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Sox and Baltimore Orioles, hitting .264 with 93 home runs and 418 RBI in nearly 1,300 contests.

The 70-year-old Buford, who currently lives in California, will be honored in a pre-game ceremony at Victory Field this season. Details have yet to be announced.

The ceremony will give fans an opportunity to see the official IL Hall of Fame Display. The display includes a replica of the original Hall of Fame plaque, which lists all 51 members inducted from 1947-1963, alongside a new plaque, which will feature names from the classes of 2007, 2008 and beyond.

The IL Hall of Fame Display will not have a permanent home, but will serve as a traveling testament to the storied legacy of the circuit which begins its 125th season in April.

The IL's Hall of Fame has been dormant since 1964, and this year's revival is highlighted by the largest induction class ever. Two of the 2008 inductees, Robert "Lefty" Grove and Tommy Lasorda, are members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

IL Hall of Famers Joe Altobelli (1954-56, 1958), Jack Berly (1932), Christian Betzel (1918), Luke Easter (1952), Dan Howley (1907-11), Joe McCarthy (1911) and Ollie Tucker (1930) also played in Indianapolis, but the Indians were not part of the International League during those seasons.