He was also capped once by the Scotland national football team Baird signed for Aberdeen before the Second World War, but the war started before he had made the first team He joined the British Army, but was captured and held as a prisoner of war.
In 1989 he published an autobiography, Family of Four, which described these experiences.
Baird returned to Aberdeen before the end of the war. His good form in this period earned him selection for Scotland in a friendly match against Belgium in early 1946.
Baird was one of nine Scotland players making their international debut in the match, with only Jimmy Delaney having significant experience. Of those nine debutants, five players did not make another international appearance, including Baird.
In all he made 104 league appearances for Aberdeen, scoring 26 goals in those matches.
He was transferred in 1953 to Street Johnstone, where he played for three seasons before retiring in 1956. After retiring as a player, Baird worked as a teacher and a sports journalist. Baird celebrated his 90th birthday in May 2009, and died quietly in his sleep on 3 November 2009.