Happy birthday, Dave Concepcion!

[RichRed]

Everyone's favorite slick-fielding Venezuelan shortstop turns 63 today.

Feliz cumpleanos!

[Chip R]

Happy birthday, Davey!

[reds1869]

Happy birthday to one of the best!

[cumberlandreds]

Happy Birthday to someone who should be in the Hall of Fame!

I'm feeling old now. I'm sure Davey was one the youngest,if not the youngest, of the great eight. Now he is 63.

[Big Klu]

Happy Birthday to someone who should be in the Hall of Fame!

I'm feeling old now. I'm sure Davey was one the youngest,if not the youngest, of the great eight. Now he is 63.

Third-youngest. George Foster won't be 63 until December, and Ken Griffey just turned 61 in April.

[Red in Chicago]

Davey and Pete are my two favorite Reds of all time. Happy B-Day!!

[cumberlandreds]

Third-youngest. George Foster won't be 63 until December, and Ken Griffey just turned 61 in April.

Thanks. I thought, after I wrote, that Griffey was younger. Seems like he was born in 1950 IIRC from the back of baseball card.

[westofyou]

Happy birthday, Dave Concepcion!

I hear you were slightly better with the glove than Paul Janish!!

[Always Red]

From 1970, a Venezuelan Topps pre-rookie card

http://daveconcepcion.com/images/cards/1970_Topps_Venenzulan_Pre-r.jpg



From 1971 (this was the first of his 2 "Janish-type" years, before he gained weight and could drive the ball)

http://daveconcepcion.com/images/cards/1971_Topps_Rookie.jpg


There are lot's of great pictures of the slickest fielding SS in Reds history here, at Davey's own website: http://daveconcepcion.com/mycollection.php

[cumberlandreds]

I had never seen that first card of Cancepcion. Thanks for sharing that!
Concepcion actually was a poorer hitter than Janish when he first came up. Without looking it up I doubt he hit better than .230 until the 1973 season. He kinda turned it on that season before breaking his ankle before the all star break. I'm hoping the same thing will happen with Janish because he's a fine defensive player.

[Always Red]

I had never seen that first card of Cancepcion. Thanks for sharing that!
Concepcion actually was a poorer hitter than Janish when he first came up. Without looking it up I doubt he hit better than .230 until the 1973 season. He kinda turned it on that season before breaking his ankle before the all star break. I'm hoping the same thing will happen with Janish because he's a fine defensive player.

You're right- David had a decent enough rookie year, and then hit under .210 with no power in '71 and '72, losing his job in the process, to either Chaney or even Woody Woodward, I forget which. 1973 was his breakout year, he made the All Star team, and never looked back. When he broke the ankle (sliding, I believe) we all wondered if he would return with his "new" bat or his '71-72 bat. Thankfully, he kept hitting, really until 1983, when he was miscast as a #3 hitter on a woeful team.

Concepcion was a lot younger than Janish during those 2 years when he couldn't adjust to MLB pitching. I also hope that Paul Janish can turn it on with the bat, it would solve a lot of problems.

[cumberlandreds]

You're right- David had a decent enough rookie year, and then hit under .210 with no power in '71 and '72, losing his job in the process, to either Chaney or even Woody Woodward, I forget which. 1973 was his breakout year, he made the All Star team, and never looked back. When he broke the ankle (sliding, I believe) we all wondered if he would return with his "new" bat or his '71-72 bat. Thankfully, he kept hitting, really until 1983, when he was miscast as a #3 hitter on a woeful team.

Concepcion was a lot younger than Janish during those 2 years when he couldn't adjust to MLB pitching. I also hope that Paul Janish can turn it on with the bat, it would solve a lot of problems.

He lost his job to both Woodward and Chaney. Woody in 1971 and Chaney in 1972,IIRC.
He did break his ankle sliding into third base on the Sunday before the all star break. I always wondered if would have made any difference in the playoffs that season against the Mets.
I think it was Sparky who compared Davey to a young colt who was trying to get his legs under him in his first years with the Reds. I thought it was a great description of him.

[_Sir_Charles_]

Happy Birthday Davey! What a joy you were to watch at short. Smooth as silk. My all-time favorite Red (no, all-time favorite baseball player...period).