VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA

Vintage Baseball Memorabilia

Dave Concepción

Positions: Shortstop, Second Baseman and Third Baseman
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
6-2, 155lb (188cm, 70kg)
Born: June 17, 1948  in Ocumare de la Costa, Venezuela ve
High School: Agustin Codazzi HS (Venezuela)
Debut: April 6, 1970 (212,965th in major league history)
vs. MON 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Last Game: September 15, 1988
vs. HOU 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Full Name: David Ismael Concepcion
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1970

Dave Concepcion
Jose Cruz
Don Baylor
Larry Bowa
Ken Singleton
Bobby Grich
Cesar Cedeno
Bert Blyleven
Charlie Hough

The Dave Concepcion Teammate Team

C:   Johnny Bench
1B: Tony Perez
2B: Joe Morgan
3B: Buddy Bell
SS: Barry Larkin
LF: Pete Rose
CF: Eric Davis
RF: Ken Griffey
SP: Don Gullett
SP: Mario Soto
SP: Tom Seaver
SP: Jose Rijo
SP: Gary Nolan
RP: John Franco
RP: Rawley Eastwick
M:   Sparky Anderson

Notable Events and Chronology for Dave Conception Career

Sort bySearch Days, Events, Players Title (A - Z)Date (Newest)

May 9, 1973

Johnny Bench hits 3 homeruns off Steve Carlton for the second time

July 5, 1973

Dave Concepcion collects a triple, double and three singles to lead the Reds to a 4 – 3 win over the Giants. His 3rd single drives in the winning run in the 9th.

July 22, 1973

Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion will miss the rest of the season after fracturing the fibula of his left leg sliding into third base

August 28, 1974

1976 – Dave Concepcion hits a 2-run single in the bottom of the 9th and the Reds tip the Phillies, 8 – 7.

May 4, 1975

Bob Watson of the Houston Astros scores the one millionth run in major league history. Watson scores the run on Milt May’s three-run homer

July 22, 1975

Jerry Koosman steals second base and pitches a complete game in a 3 – 1 New York Mets victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

October 12, 1975

Down 2 – 1 in the 9th inning, Cincinnati rallies to beat the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the World Series, 3 – 2.

June 4, 1976

Dave Concepcion has 5 hits as the Reds whip the host Cardinals‚ 11 – 2.

July 6, 1977

In Atlanta, the Reds outlast the Braves, winning 15 – 13. The Braves spot the Reds six runs, then tie it up with a 6-run 4th inning. The Braves tie in the 7th at nine apiece, but the Reds score six in the 8th inning, four on a grand slam by Dave Concepcion. Atlanta scores one in the 8th and three in the 9th to complete a wild game.

July 22, 1979

In the first of two at Wrigley Field, the Reds roll over the Cubs, 12 – 1, behind Bill Bonham. Johnny Bench ties the National League record by collecting five walks and Dave Concepcion hits an 8th-inning grand slam off Willie Hernandez to put the score in double digits. The Cubs come back in the second game to win, 8 – 4.

July 24, 1979

In Pittsburgh, a 4th-inning call results in a 34-minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game. With Buc runners on first and third base, a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno is called a ball, but Johnny Bench throws to second base ahead of the runner from first, Lee Lacy, who is attempting to steal. Lacy is called out by Dick Stello even though Moreno has just received a walk (therefore entitling Lacy to the base), and walks off the bag. He is then tagged out by Dave Concepcion, precipitating the argument. The subsequent protest is rejected by National League president Chub Feeney, and the Pirates’ 6 – 5 loss is upheld.

September 11, 1979

Cincinnati tops Houston lead NL West

July 13, 1982

All-Star Game outside of the United States is held at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium

December 25, 1982

Major League Season Recap 1982

August 23, 1983

At Wrigley Field, Reds rookie Jeff Russell beats Fergie Jenkins and the Cubs, 4 – 2. Russell adds his only career home run. Dave Concepcion is called out on a steal attempt, and then is tossed out for arguing with umpire Dave Pallone. He also gets suspended for three days for allegedly spitting on Pallone during the argument.

August 20, 1988

1988 – Forty-year-old Dave Concepcion steals home to help the Reds defeat the Cardinals, 6 – 2.

June 3, 2000

Sparky Anderson & Dave Concepcion were inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame

November 10, 2010

For the first time since the glory days of the ‘Big Red Machine’, Cincinnati has more than one Gold Glove winner in a season when third baseman Scott Rolen, second baseman Brandon Phillips, and pitcher Bronson Arroyo are recognized for their fielding prowess. For four consecutive seasons, from 1974-77, catcher Johnny Bench, second baseman Joe Morgan, shortstop Dave Concepcion, and center fielder Cesar Geronimo were routinely selected by the managers and coaches as the top defensive players in their positions.

Biography

Concepcion came out of Venezuela to become one of baseball’s greatest shortstops. Wearing number 13, the lithe infielder won the position in 1972 after sharing it with Woody Woodward for two seasons. In 1973, Concepcion was named captain of the Reds. The winner of five Gold Gloves, he also started five All-Star Games from 1973 to 1982, more than any other NL shortstop during that period. He responded to his eighth straight selection (ninth overall) in 1982 by winning the Game’s MVP award, hitting a two-run homer as the NL won its 11th straight game.

In 1978 Concepcion became the first Cincinnati shortstop to bat .300 since Joe Tinker in 1913. Hampered by an elbow injury in 1980, Concepcion took advantage of the Astroturf at Riverfront Stadium and developed the one-hop throw to first base to reduce arm strain. The winner of the Roberto Clemente award as the top Latin American ballplayer in the majors in 1977, he led the NL with 14 game-winning RBI in 1981, when he was the Reds’ MVP. In four World Series, Concepcion hit better than .300 three times and topped .400 in the 1975 and ’79 LCS. He played over 100 games at shortstop 12 straight years (1974-85) and in 14 of 15 seasons, with injury cutting into his 1973 season. Replaced by Barry Larkin in 1986, Concepcion became a dependable handyman working at all four infield positions. Only Pete Rose is ahead of him in doubles (389), games, hits (2,326), and at-bats in Reds history, and only Joe Morgan has more Reds stolen bases than Concepcion’s 321. Concepcion also ranks in the Reds’ top five in runs, RBI, and total bases. On his retirement, he was only 44 games away from Larry Bowa’s NL record for shortstops.

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Played For
Cincinnati Reds (1970-1988)

Uniform #: #13 – countless shortstops in Venezuela, including Ozzie Guillen, wore that number in honor of Concepcion.

Similar: Larry Bowa, Tony Fernandez

Linked: Tony Perez, Larry Bowa, Joe Morgan, Barry Larkin

Best Season, 1974
Concepcion turned 25 in June and enjoyed his best overall season. He won his first Gold Glove and played 160 games at shortstop. At the plate he batted .281 with 14 homers and 82 RBI. Later he would top all of those totals, but his total average in ’74 (.755) compared to the league, was his best. Concepcion was very fast in his prime, in ’74 he stole 41 bases in 47 attempts. Though he wouldn’t earn an All-Star berth until ’75, Concepcion was the best shortstop in the NL in 1974.

Awards and Honors
1974 NL Gold Glove
1975 NL Gold Glove
1976 NL Gold Glove
1977 NL Gold Glove
1979 NL Gold Glove
1982 ML AS MVP

Post-Season Appearances
1970 National League Championship Series
1970 World Series
1972 National League Championship Series
1972 World Series
1975 National League Championship Series
1975 World Series
1976 National League Championship Series
1976 World Series
1979 National League Championship Series

Description
Concepcion perfected the one-bounce throw to first base on the astroturf. He was famous for a great throwing arm (he was originally drafted as a pitcher), and his range was excellent. He consistently stole at least twenty bases and was known for the long leads he would take off the bag.

Factoid
In 1975, Davey Concepcion scored the 1,000,001st run in baseball history – just seconds after Bob Watson had plated the millionth run for Houston in another contest.

Where He Played: Shortstop

Big League Debut: April 6, 1970
A scrawny kid when he debuted with Cincinnati in 1970, Concepcion, like many other Venezuelan shortstops before him, struggled to hit early in his career. His first three seasons Sparky Anderson played him part-time. In 1973, Concepcion was named the starter but broke his ankle and missed the second half of the year. He returned in 1974 and played 160 games, proving wrong those critics who felt he was fragile. That season he won his first gold Glove.

Notes
Even after he had established himself as a starting major league shortstop and had been named to All-Star teams, Concepcion played winter ball, concentrating on his batting and perfecting his fielding skills… In a clubhouse prank in 1976, Concepcion climbed into a dryer. Teammate Pat Zachry pushed the start button and sent the shortstop spinning. Once a dizzy Concepcion emerged from the dryer, the hair on his legs was burned.

Shortstops of the National League, 1970s
In the 1970s the National League boasted three shortstops of notoriety. Each played for winning teams. Each usually batted low in the lineup – and each became All-Stars. The three were Bill Russell, Larry Bowa and Davey Concepcion. From 1972 to 1983 all three were starting shortstops in the NL. Bowa went to the post-season with the Phillies five times in those 12 years, Concepcion five times with the Reds, and Russell five times with LA. Bowa and Russell won one World Series title, Davey two. Each of them were right-handed hitters with little power. Concepcion and Bowa played on turf, Russell on grass in a pitchers park. The voters awarded Concepcion the Gold Glove five times (1974-1977, and 1979), Bowa twice (1972 and 1978), while Russell was never considered their equal with the leather. He was a convert to the position, having originally been an outfielder.

From 1972 to 1983, their offense broke down like this:

Concepcion had a .273 batting average, .373 slugging, and .328 on-base percentage; Bowa came in with .265/.328/.304; Russell was .266/.340/.311. Concepcion hit 84 homers and drove in 734 runs; Bowa’s same categories were 15 and 434; Russell’s was 39 and 519. Bowa stoled 251 bases; Concepcion swiped 244; Russell was the slowest of the thre by far, and stoled 133. Bowa occassionally hit higher in the lineup and scored some more runs; the three ranked this way in runs created for the 12 year span: Concepcion, Bowa, Russell. They played essentially the same number of games.

If you had to choose one of them to start your infield, you’d take Concepcion. He was not only a better offensive player, but contemporary observers overwhelmingly supported him for the Gold Glove Award in most years.

Quotes About Concepcion
“The way he helped us, the way he played the game, on offense and defense. He played shortstop for us and he could run very well. He helped us in lots of ways. I [saw] a lot of shortstops in my career, and Davey was one of the best. He ranks right up there with the best.” — teammate Tony Perez

“You can’t separate Davey Concepcion from Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, or George Foster. Davey was right there with us.” — teammate Tony Perez

All-Star Selections
1973 NL
1975 NL
1976 NL
1977 NL
1978 NL
1979 NL
1980 NL
1981 NL
1982 NL

Best Strength as a Player
Arm strength. Later, after he hurt that strong arm, he worked with Tony Perez to perfect the one-bounce throw to first base. Concepcion was the first to use that method on a consistent basis.