Bernie Carbo Stats & Facts

Bernie Carbo

Position: Outfielder
Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right
5-11, 173lb (180cm, 78kg)
Born: August 5, 1947 in Detroit, MI
Draft: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round (16th) of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft from Livonia HS (Livonia, MI).
High School: Livonia HS (Livonia, MI)
Debut: September 2, 1969 10,503rd in MLB history)
vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: September 29, 1980
vs. NYM 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1970 season
Full Name: Bernardo Carbo
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1969

Darrell Evans
Bill Buckner
Carlton Fisk
Steve Garvey
Bill Russell
Toby Harrah
Vida Blue
Jerry Reuss
Thurman Munson

Notable Events and Chronology for Bernie Carbo Career

SearchSearch Events, Dates and More Date (Newest)Title (A - Z)

October 8, 1959

In Game 6, the Dodgers defeat the ‘Go-Go Sox,’ 9-3, to win the 1959 World Series.

April 6, 1970

In the last home opener at Crosley Field‚ the Reds top the Expos‚ 5 – 1‚ behind Jim Merritt. It is the first win for manager Sparky Anderson. The Reds have 3 homers in the 4th‚ when Lee May‚ Bernie Carbo and Bobby Tolan connect. It is Carbo’s first major league hit. Joe Sparma takes the loss.

October 10, 1970

In the first World Series game to be played on artificial turf, Boog Powell, Ellie Hendricks, and Brooks Robinson homer to power the Orioles past the Reds, 4-3. Baltimore’s offensive output in Game 1 of the Fall Classic overcomes Cincinnati’s 3-0 early lead at Riverfront Stadium.

November 27, 1970

1970 – Pitcher Carl Morton, who posted a 18-11 record for the last-place Montreal Expos, receives the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Morton beats out Cincinnati Reds outfielder Bernie Carbo.

May 19, 1971

In its inaugural season, Riverfront Stadium’s first-ever inside-the-park home run is hit by Roberto Clemente, a smash off Gary Nolan. The ball is hit high off the left-field wall over the reach of Bernie Carbo. The ball bounces high and back toward the infield past Buddy Bradford in center and by the time he is able to retrieve it on the rain-soaked turf, Clemente is rounding third. Clemente adds a triple that drives in a run and comes to score himself, then singles in another run in the 9th inning in a 6 – 1 decision over Cincinnati.

February 25, 1972

St. Louis Cardinals trade future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton to the Philadelphia Phillies

October 14, 1975

Boston’s Carlton Fisk and Cincinnati’s Ed Armbrister become involved in a controversial interference non call

October 21, 1975

Carlton Fisk of the Boston Red Sox powers a dramatic 12th- inning home run to complete one of the most memorable games in World Series history.

October 21, 1975

Bernie Carbo delivers pinch hit homerun in game 6 of 1975 World Series

December 6, 1976

The Red Sox trade 1B Cecil Cooper to the Brewers for 1B George Scott and OF Bernie Carbo.

June 19, 1977

Carl Yastrzemski (2), Bernie Carbo (2), and George Scott (1) of the Boston Red Sox hit five home runs in an 11 – 1 triumph over the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. The five home runs give the Red Sox a major league record 16 in three games. Boston hit six homers on June 17th and five on June 18th, also against the Yankees. The Yankees hit no homers in the three-game series.

July 4, 1977

The Boston Red Sox end their nine-game losing streak by walloping a major league-record – since topped – eight home runs, in beating Toronto, 9 – 6 at Fenway Park. Seven of the homers are solo shots, another record. Four home runs (by Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski and George Scott) come in the 8th inning. Only Scott’s is not consecutive. Lynn and Scott each hit two, while Rice, Yaz, Butch Hobson and Bernie Carbo have one apiece. The Sox’s previous high for homers was six and they won’t top that number until 1999.

May 8, 1978

After a Bernie Carbo walk and a groundout, the Royals intentionally walk Jim Rice to pitch to Carl Yastrzemski, who clouts a three-run homer. The Red Sox, down 5 – 4, beat the Royals, 8 – 4. Bob Stanley is the winner over Dennis Leonard.

May 17, 1990

1990 – Eric Anthony becomes the first Astro to reach the Dome’s upper reserved seats in right field with a mammoth blast off Mike Bielecki in a 5-4, eleven-inning victory against Chicago. Cincinnati’s Bernie Carbo was the only previous player to do it. Ken Oberkfell’s sacrifice fly scores Ken Caminiti with the game-winner. 

Biography

“And I said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to hit. Juan Beníquez, grab a bat, you’re going to hit. Sparky’s [Anderson] going to go to the left-hander because Sparky goes by the book.’ Darrell [Johnson, Red Sox manager] said, ‘Well, go up and stand on the on-deck circle.’ And they introduced me. So I’m still thinking Sparky will come out and take Rawly Eastwick out and go with Will McEnaney. But the umpire says, ‘C’mon, you’ve been announced, you’re hitting.’ So I go into the batter’s box. I ain’t ready to hit. Next thing, strike one, strike two, ball one, ball two. Then he threw me a cut fastball, a little slider and I took it right out of [Johnny] Bench’s glove — the ball just dribbled out. I step out and I’m thinking, ‘Aw man, I almost struck out. I was lucky.’ I hit the next pitch to center field. I rounded first base and I saw César Gerónimo going back. Rounding second, I knew it was gone and I’m yelling to Pete Rose, ‘Don’t you wish you were this strong?’ And Pete is yelling back, ‘Ain’t this fun, Bernie? This is what the World Series is about. This is fun.'” – Bernie Carbo, remembering Game 6 of the 1975 World Series

Bernie Carbo played a dozen years in the majors. He is best remembered for his heroics for the Boston Red Sox in the 1975 World Series.

Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round of the inaugural amateur draft (ahead of future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench), Carbo hit .359 with 21 home runs for the Indianapolis Indians in 1969 and was named American Association Most Valuable Player. That performance earned him a September call up, and he went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. He became Cincinnati’s regular left fielder in 1970 and hit .310 with 21 homers. He was named The Sporting News Rookie of the Year and finished second to Carl Morton in National League Rookie of the Year voting. He went hitless in 14 postseason at-bats as the Reds lost the World Series to the Baltimore Orioles. Carbo struggled in 1971, hitting just .219 with 5 home runs, and was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Joe Hague the next year.

Following the 1973 season, he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox. With Boston, he had a bit of a resurgence, clubbing 12 homers in 1974 and 15 in 1975 as a fourth outfielder, part-time DH and pinch-hitter. The Red Sox went to the World Series in the latter season, and Carbo went 3-for-7 with a pair of pinch homers in the Fall Classic against the Reds; one was a three-run homer off Rawly Eastwick that tied the score in the legendary Game 6 and helped send it into extra innings, where it would be won on Carlton Fisk’s supremely famous home run. Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1976 campaign, Carbo was sent back to Boston following the season. He later played for the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, and Pittsburgh Pirates, and played in the Detroit Tigers farm system in 1981. He was out of the majors by 33.

Following his big league days, Carbo played for the Winter Haven Super Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. In 43 games, he hit .263. He later managed the Pensacola Pelicans from 2003 to 2005. In 2004, Bernie was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Carbo was one of the first fashion-conscious players of his era and one of only a few in his day to use a portable hair “blow dryer” in the locker room.

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Factoids, Quotes, Milestones and Odd Facts