David concepcion hall of fame

It’s called the fall classic, ray the 1975 World Series was doubtlessly a “classic.” The Series waged betwixt the Cincinnati Reds and the Beantown Red Sox was one of honesty more memorable championship battles, as neat as a pin single run decided five of justness seven games. Cincinnati shortstop Dave Concepción entered the Series hoping that representation old saying “third time is on the rocks charm” would prove true. He locked away been to two other World Panel, losing out both times: first elect Baltimore in 1970 and then equal Oakland in 1972.

In 1975 Boston won Game One at Fenway Park, shutting denote the Reds by a 6-0 best, and the Reds were looking fit in balance the ledger before the Stack headed to the Queen City. Hold down was a rainy day in Beantown on October 12 for Game Couple. But the inclement weather did not quite hinder Boston starter Bill Lee. He spoken for the Reds to one run very last was clinging to a 2-1 boon entering the ninth inning. But after Johnny Bench’s leadoff double chased Lee getaway the game, Dick Drago and his blazing bullet moved to the hill.

After Drago retired Tony Perez on a groundout to shortstop mess about with Bench taking third and George Foster flied end short left field, Concepción came trigger bat with two outs and prestige tying run 90 feet away. Concepción hit a 1-and-1 fastball into honesty dirt and the ball bounced lofty toward second base. Boston’s Denny Doyle raced close by his right and backhanded the lump, but it was too late ejection the second baseman to make precise play. Bench scored the tying call together, and Concepción was on first. Motionless Sox fans in the Fenway Estate crowd fell silent. Concepción stole in a tick base, sliding past the bag nevertheless getting back safely. Ken Griffey then doubled him home, and the Reds won 3-2 to even the Series. “I was just looking to make contact,” Concepción said later. “That’s all you buoy do in a situation like go off against a fastball pitcher like Drago. I knew it was a luck once I got it past rank pitcher.”1

David Ismael (Benitez) Concepción was tribal on June 17, 1948, Ocumare uneven la Costa, Aragua, Venezuela. His churchman, a truck driver, was against growing Dave’s pursuing a career in ball, instead hoping that he would put together a living as perhaps a counsellor, banker, or doctor. After attending Agustin Codazzi High School, Dave worked whereas a bank teller and played give a hand a local amateur baseball team. Potentate coach, Wilfredo Calvino, was a recce for the Reds, and despite reward father’s wishes, young Concepción signed top-notch contract with Calvino in September 1967 and joined Tampa in the Class-A Florida State League in 1968.

Concepción’s previous in the Reds’ minor-league chain was brief; by the end of decency 1969 season he was playing sponsor Triple-A Indianapolis. The 21-year-old hit .341 for the Indians in 167 at-bats, and showed a high aptitude homily the basepaths. “Concepción has the finest baserunning instincts I’ve ever seen instruction a youngster,” said Indians manager Vern Rapp. “He stole 11 bases in 12 attempts and he was only capable us about a month.”2

Concepción was promoted to the Reds for the 1970 season, but he faced veteran courier at shortstop in Woody Woodward and Darrel Chaney. While in the manner tha Concepción showed up at camp, perception 6-feet-2 and weighing just 155 pounds, Pete Rose joked that he wouldn’t be space danger of pulling a muscle unite his legs, that instead it would have to be a pulled desiccate. But Rose also acknowledged, “They recount me that the kid can game shortstop with a pair of pliers.”3

Reds rookie manager Sparky Anderson took a liking contest the youngster, as did hitting instructor Ted Kluszewski. Anderson made Concepción the learner, mostly for his defensive ability. Writer didn’t expect much offense from dominion young shortstop. But when Concepción’s batten average rose to .270 in Might, Kluszewski commented, “I’ve been saying detachment along that the kid’s gonna put in writing a pretty good hitter.”4

Concepción’s unexpectedly moderately good hitting could not keep him play a role the starting lineup. He made 14 errors through mid-June, and Anderson replaced him with the dependable Woodward. Historian was a valuable commodity for distinction Reds, able to play every diamond position and play them well. Proscribed solidified the position for a magnitude, but by the time the subsequent half of the season began, Concepción was back in the lineup. Blooper made only eight more errors take precedence batted a respectable .260 for authority season. The Reds steamrolled through honesty National League West Division and locked away little trouble sweeping Pittsburgh in loftiness NLCS, holding the Pirates to leash runs in the three games. They were not as fortunate in illustriousness World Series, losing in five festival to the Baltimore Orioles.

Concepción missed ceiling of the 1971 exhibition season appear a badly sprained right thumb, extract when he returned to the company in late April, he was reachmedown as a utilityman, playing second join, third base, and the outfield. Forbidden got his shortstop job back fashionable early May but struggled at primacy plate that season and in 1972 with .205 and .209 batting averages. His career got an indirect congratulate after the 1971 season when shipshape and bristol fashion big trade brought second baseman Joe Morgan from the Astros. Concepción and Morgan great themselves as one of the make progress keystone combinations in major-league history. Importation teammates with the Reds, they emerged in four All-Star Games, starting span, and won two World Series.

Concepción was his own worst critic, and explore times his being hard on caused subpar play to further reel downward. Sparky Anderson decided that yes needed a big-brother influence, and of one\'s own free will veteran Tony Perez to room swop the youngster and mentor him. “He cannot stand 0-4 day. It forbid him. I tell him very impressionable thing. ‘Don’t get your head down.’… ‘If you don’t hit now, tell what to do will next time.’… Things like that. Always I try to pick him up.”5 Perez also felt that marriage helped Concepción settle down. (Dave and sovereignty bride, Delia, were married in 1972. They had three children, David Alejandro, David Eduardo, and Daneska.)

Whatever the realistic, Concepción emerged as a top-flight contender in 1973. He was named dressingdown the All-Star team for the foremost time. He batted.287 and provided different punch at the bottom of honesty Reds’ lineup. He posted the foremost five-hit performance of his career encroach upon San Francisco on July 5 – hit number five, in the behind of the ninth inning, driving encompass the winning run.

Unfortunately for Concepción leading the Reds, his season was compressed by an injury. On July 22 the Reds were breezing to topping 6-0 victory over Montreal at tad. Concepción was having a fine post meridian with three hits and two runs scored. On first base in greatness seventh inning, he took off as Denis Menke hit a smash to Expos shortstop Larry Lintz. As Lintz threw Menke give a rough idea at first base, Concepción never closed and raced to third base. Importance he slid into the base potentate left leg folded underneath him. High-mindedness fibula, a long bone between greatness knee and ankle, was broken extremity his ankle was dislocated. His term was over. “It probably cost difficult the league championship,” said Rose.6 The Reds won the NL West, but mislaid to the New York Mets staging the NLCS without their All-Star shortstop.

Concepción rehabbed while playing winter ball tenuous Venezuela. He came back healthy at an earlier time began a string of four geezerhood (1974-77) in which he won a-okay Gold Glove. In 1974 he difficult his first big offensive season, pristine 14 home runs and driving pierce 82 runs, while batting mostly 6th or seventh in the lineup. Concepción brought another dimension to the Reds in addition to his offensive stomach defensive skills. Beginning in 1973 oversight stole 20 or more bases pointed six consecutive seasons, pilfering 41 deduct 1974.

The Reds finally reached the peak in 1975 and 1976, winning consecutive World Series. In 1975 Concepción wallop .455 in the NLCS against integrity Pirates but, only .179 in representation tense and gripping World Series be against the Red Sox. The next crop he hit .357 in the Heap against the Yankees with a multiply and three RBIs. On a squad filled with All-Stars and future Hallway of Famers, Concepción was playing simulated a high level at the high noon of his career. Former Brooklyn Dodgers great Pee Wee Reese, a Hall unknot Fame shortstop himself, offered a combination of Concepción as a shortstop: “Mark Belanger may be a little smoother as a result Concepción. Larry Bowa is very quick. Rick Burleson is far-out leader type. Bill Russell has an accurate vibration. But no one does everything introduction well as Concepción. It’s possible range no one ever has.”7

Reds third-basecoach Alex Grammas agreed with Reese’s assessment. Grammas had assumed with Concepción since Dave was deft rookie, helping him to hone diadem craft. “There are some mighty moderately good shortstops in the league today,” articulated Grammas. “But Concepción is a crop ahead of them all in all-round ability because his bat is intoxicated and his range in the ballpoint is greater.”8 Concepción and Grammas had much a solid relationship, that Dave’s chief son, David Alejandro, takes his central name from Grammas.

Concepción also famously used Riverfront Stadium’s artificial surface to his function. He started to develop a pang in his throwing arm, and painstaking the art of throwing the sudden on a bounce off the pretend turf to the first baseman. Dot was extremely helpful to him traveling fair groundballs hit in the hole among shortstop and third base. “I didn’t invent that throw,” Concepción said. “I saw another fellow do it. Unrestrained saw Brooks Robinson do it to Lee May here complicated 1970. Then when my arm damage, I decided, ‘Why not try it?’”9

After a couple of second-place finishes, manifestation 1979 the Reds won the NL West to cap off the period of the 1970s, but lost magnanimity NLCS in a three game whisk to Pittsburgh. By that time, repeat of the cogs in the Copious Red Machine had moved on. Perez was the first to go, note a deal with Montreal. Rose maintain equilibrium via free agency in 1978, righteousness same year Anderson was fired. Betimes Morgan and Cesar Geronimo would be gone. On the contrary Concepción could still play. “The agitate people move away, and all drug a sudden you notice the out of date work of art in the corner,” Bench said of Concepción.10 Concepción posted life's work highs in home runs (16) most important RBIs (84) in 1979. He likewise claimed his fifth and final Amber Glove Award.

Concepción remained the Reds’ common shortstop through the 1985 season survive made the last of his intensity All-Star teams in 1982. In deviate season’s All-Star Game, in Montreal’s Olympic Square, he hit a two-run homer fetid Boston’s Dennis Eckersley, and was named primacy game’s Most Valuable Player. Before proceed hit his second-inning homer, he radius with All-Star teammate and fellow Venezuelan Manny Trillo of the Philadelphia Phillies, “I put into words Manny, ‘I got a feeling I’m going to hit one out training the ballpark.’ He kidded me, nevertheless I said, ‘I’m gonna do it.’”11 And he did.

Concepción retired after the 1988 season, having played his entire major-league career with the Reds. His match at shortstop, Barry Larkin, began his track 19-year career in 1986, and ultimately was voted into the Baseball Portico of Fame. Concepción was inducted ways the Cincinnati Reds’ Hall of Celebrity in 2000, and his number 13 was retired by the Reds steamy August 25, 2007. Said Joe Mount, “He’s the greatest shortstop I’ve bright played with or I’ve ever seen.”12

In retirement, Concepción returned to his preference Venezuela, and later managed his hometown Aragua Tigers. Later, he became propose executive in a trucking business.

Concepción elongated a fine lineage of shortstops foreign Venezuela. He grew up idolizing Chico Carrasquel and Luis Aparicio and trying to emulate them play in the field. Later, countrymen Ozzie Guillen and Omar Vizquel grew up fantasizing about playing baseball anxiety the major leagues like their heroine, Dave Concepción. Vizquel paid homage locate his boyhood icon by wearing say publicly number 13, saying Concepción was “the one that I liked, the give someone a tinkle that I looked up to.”13

Last revised: February 7, 2022

Sources

This biography is star in SABR’s book The Great Eight: The 1975 Cincinnati Reds (University interrupt Nebraska Press, 2014), edited by Fleck Armour.

Notes

1 George Vass, “The Game I’ll Never Forget,” Baseball Digest, December 1987: 86.

2 Earl Lawson, “Reds’ Phenom Bears Copy Latin Raves,” The Sporting News, March 28, 1970: 11.

3 Lawson, “Reds’ Phenom Bears Out Latin Raves.”

4 Earl Lawson, “McCrae-Carbo Bat Platoon Is Cincy’s Assault Force,” The Sporting News, May 23, 1970: 7.

5 Si Burick, “The Making of Dave Concepcion,” Baseball Digest, August 1974: 40-42.

6  Jim Brosnan, “Dave Concepcion: Best play a part the Business,” Boys’ Life, September 1975: 20-23.

7 Dick Peebles, “Dave Concepcion: Best Well-rounded Shortstop in the Majors,” Baseball Digest, December 1979: 50-51.

8 Earl Lawson, “Concepcion Almost Virgo intacta at Shortstop,” The Sporting News, April 26, 1975: 3.

9 Doug Feldmann, The 1976 Cincinnati Reds: Last Hurrah for nobility Big Red Machine (Jefferson, North Carolina, 2009), 41.

10 Ivan Maisel, “An Entire Star Comes To Light,” Sports Illustrated, July 25, 1982: 46.

11 Maisel.

12 Kevin Dancer, “No Shorting Concepcion on This Night,” Cincinnati Enquirer, August 26, 2007.

13 Tim Wendel, The New Face of Baseball (New York: Harper/Collins, 2003), 76.