"The leadoff men of the 1960s were known mainly for slapping singles and stealing bases. Into this game stepped Don Buford, a versatile switch-hitter with speed and a little power, and also the ability to draw walks and get on base. He had some success for a few years with the White Sox, but it was not until he joined forces with Earl Weaver in Baltimore that the full measure of his value was exploited. Weaver wanted his leadoff man to be a productive hitter who could start the offense, and the first thing he did when hired to manage Baltimore Orioles in July 1968 was to put Buford, a utility player at the time, at the top of the batting order every day. Buford became a star, and, not entirely coincidentally, the Orioles soon became one of the best teams in baseball history." - Baseball Historian Mark Armour (SABR Baseball Biography Project, "Don Buford Biography", Source )