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David Concepción full name is David Concepción Benitez. He is a retired professional baseball player and manager from Venezuela between 1970 and 1988. He spent his entire Major League Baseball career as a shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds, who earned four National League pennants and two World Series championships. Concepción was a nine-time All-Star who won five Gold Glove Awards while forming one of the best middle-infield tandems of their age with Joe Morgan.
| Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David Concepción Benitez |
| Date Of Birth | June 17, 1948 |
| Birth Place | Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua, Venezuela |
| Father | N/A |
| Mother | Ernestina Concepción |
| Siblings | 1 |
| Profession | Baseball Player, Manager |
| Sexuality | Male |
| Martial Status | Married |
| Wife | Delia Concepción |
| Children | 3 |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in |
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Age | 73 |
| Nationality | Venezuelan |
| Ethnicity | N/A |
| Body Measurement | N/A |
| Hair Color | N/A |
| Eye Color | N/A |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Net Worth | $18 million |
David Concepción was also elected MVP of the 1982 All-Star Game and received two Silver Slugger Awards. In addition, Concepción was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2000, and his number 13 jersey was retired by the club in 2007.
Bio
David Ismael (Benitez) Concepcion was born in Ocumare de la Costa, Aragua, Venezuela on June 17, 1948. His dad, a truck driver, as opposed to young Dave pursuing a baseball career, preferring that he pursue a career as a lawyer, accountant, or doctor. Dave worked as a bank teller and played for a professional youth baseball team after graduating from Agustin Codazzi High School. Wilfredo Calvino, his mentor, was a Reds scout. Against his father’s wishes, young Concepcion signed a contract with Calvino in September 1967 and joined Tampa in Class A Florida State League in 1968. He was a major-league shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds and was regarded as one of the game’s best.
David Concepción’s blooming Baseball Career
Concepción, who was drafted as an outfielder, followed in the footsteps of his childhood heroes Chico Carrasquel and Luis Aparicio, Jr., emerging from Venezuela to become one of the Reds’ and National League’s best all-time shortstops.
Sparky Anderson, the Reds manager, used him sparingly in his first three seasons, splitting time with Woody Woodward and Darrel Chaney. David Concepción was the only Reds player to reach base safely in one of those starts, as the Reds were no-hit by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Rick Wise; a sixth-inning walk spoiled what should have been a perfect game. Nevertheless, Concepción blossomed both at bat and on the field in 1973, earning the starting shortstop role.
Concepción’s two-run tie-breaking homer off Barry Lersch in the ninth inning, however, was the game-winner. Concepción was named as the National League All-Star team.
Still, two days before the game, he dislocated his knee and fractured, breaking the fibula of the left leg) and missing the rest of the season. He was batting and came out with 287 total bases, eight home runs.
Concepción returned in 1974, appearing in 160 games. He had his best overall season, batting.281 with 14 home runs and 82 RBI, and he won his first of five Gold Glove Awards.
Even after establishing himself as a star shortstop in the major leagues, Concepción began to play winter ball in Venezuela, which helped him develop his batting. Since hitting.274, 5, 49 in the 1975 Major League season, Concepción went on to hit.281, 9, 69 in 1976,.271, 8, 64 in 1977,.301, 6, 67 in 1978,.281, 16, 84 in 1979,.260, 5, 77 in 1980,.306, 5, 67 in 1981, and.287, 5, 53 in 1982. (1982).
David Concepción smashed a two-run homer in the National League’s 4–1 triumph (the NL’s 11th consecutive win and 19th in the last 20 games). As a result, Concepción has declared the Most Valuable Player of the game. Concepción later partnered with Tony Pérez to perfect Later, Concepción teamed up with Tony Pérez to refine the one-bounce first-base pitch.
Concepción was the first to use this strategy to take advantage of Riverfront Stadium’s flat artificial turf and other National League parks.
David Concepción had consecutive subpar seasons from 1983–84, hampered by age, an elbow fracture, and shoulder surgery in 1982. Nevertheless, he groomed his replacement, Barry Larkin, into a dependable handyman at all four infield positions. Then, in 1986, he was replaced by Larkin, who was just 44 games away from breaking Larry Bowa’s NL record for shortstops.
Concepcion ranks second in career games played and at-bats, third in singles, doubles, stolen bases, and fifth in runs scored and total bases. With 19 seasons in a Reds uniform, he and Barry Larkin own the franchise record.
Ending His playing Career
In 1988, his 19th and final season with the Reds, manager Pete Rose sent Concepción into pitch 1.1 innings in a blowout game at Dodger Stadium. David Concepción allowed two hits, no runs, and one strikeout. The Reds released Concepción at the end of the 1988 season.
In 1989, he tried out with the California Angels for his 20th Major League season. After retirement in 1989, he became manager of Venezuela’s Tigres de Aragua team. His former teammates Tony Pérez, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Sparky Anderson, Ken Griffey, and George Foster, also had their numbers retired. Concepción has stated that he initially selected that number to represent his mother, Ernestina, born in 1913. However, the number 13 was retired by a player for the first time in Major League history.
The Venezuelan team retired his number 13 as well. With whom he played winter ball for 20 years, Tigres de Aragua of Maracay. In 2014, he was appointed vice president of the club. He is a member of the Hall of Fame for the Caribbean Series.
Net Worth:
It is believed that this famous baseball star has amassed about $18 million, as new data recorded in 2021.
Who is he married to?
David Concepción is married to Delia Concepción. He currently resides with his wife and son in Urbanizacion El Castro, a village in Maracay, Venezuela, near Henri Pittier National Park, at the base of the mountains. David Alejandro and David Eduardo, as well as daughter Daneska, are their three grown children. In addition, David Concepción owns a farm and a trucking company.
Achievements
The Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop (1970-1988).
MVP of the 1982 MLB All-Star Game.
David Concepción earned five Gold Glove Awards in the National League (1974-1977 and 1979).
At shortstop, he earned two Silver Slugger Awards in the National League (1981-1982).
On the MLB All-Time Games List, he is ranked 51st (2,488).
On the MLB All-Time At Bats List, he is ranked 81st (8,723)
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