"He’s called “Buff,” short for Buffalo, because he works so hard. If I had to be in a foxhole I’d like him in there with me." - Jim Bouton, Ball Four on Curt Blefary.

Curtis Le Roy Blefary played for the Baltimore Orioles (1965–1968), Houston Astros (1969), New York Yankees (1970–1971), Oakland Athletics (1971–1972) and the San Diego Padres (1972). He is best remembered for winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1965.

He had three productive seasons for the Orioles before his intertwined personal demons, alcohol and anger, overcame his terrific natural ability. Curt was a key contributor to the Orioles’ pennant in 1966. The left-handed hitter was an outfielder during his three solid seasons, then subsequently became a regular catcher and first baseman. In 1968, he caught Tom Phoebus' no-hitter.

Blefary was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Mahwah, New Jersey. His father, an AT&T employee, named him after Curt Davis, a pitcher who won 158 major-league games and was pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers when Blefary was born.

While with the Astros in 1969, Curt drew comment in June from several major-league players because he roomed together with Don Wilson on the road. Blefary, was blunt in responding to those who objected to white and African-American “roomies,” telling a sportswriter, “They said they couldn’t believe I was rooming with a colored guy. I told them to go to hell.”

Curt's grandson, Anthony Servideo, was the Oriole's 3rd round draft pick in 2020.

(excerpted from Wikipedia, BR Bullpen, and SABR)