![]() |
Bernie Carbo | |
---|---|
![]() Carbo in 1993 | |
Outfielder | |
Born: Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | August 5, 1947|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 2, 1969, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 29, 1980, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .264 |
Home runs | 96 |
Runs batted in | 358 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Bernardo Carbo (born August 5,1947) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He began his career with the Cincinnati Reds,and went on to play with five other teams,including two stints with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.
He was raised in the Detroit suburb of Livonia and graduated in 1965 from Franklin High School,playing for the school's baseball team while there. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
An outfielder,Carbo was the Cincinnati Reds' first selection (16th overall) in the inaugural 1965 draft,ahead of Johnny Bench,and his first major league hit was a home run. [1] [2] In his 1970 rookie season,Carbo posted career highs in batting average (.310),home runs (21),runs batted in (63),hits (113),on-base percentage (.454),slugging average (.551),OPS (1.005) and games played (125). Carbo was selected Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News ,but he slumped in the next two seasons and was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals.
After the 1973 season in late October,St. Louis traded Carbo and Rick Wise to the Boston Red Sox for Reggie Smith and Ken Tatum. [3] He said of coming to Boston:"When I first met [Red Sox owner] Mr. Yawkey,he was shining shoes in the clubhouse," said Carbo,"and I went up to him and gave him $20 and told him to get me a cheeseburger and fries." While playing for the Red Sox,he was a part of the "Buffalo Heads",with Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Ferguson Jenkins. Carbo would also carry around a giant stuffed gorilla that was named Mighty Joe Young. The gorilla sat next to him in the middle seat on planes. Carl Yastrzemski wanted the gorilla placed on the bat rack in the dugout. [4]
The 1975 World Series matched the Red Sox with the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds,who were looking for their first title since 1940. Boston had also suffered a drought by not winning a Series since 1918. The clubs battled back and forth,with the Reds winning three of the first five games. Carbo was excited to see some of his old teammates. Carbo would be on the bench,and his former teammates were sympathetic. Clay Carroll inscribed a picture for him and it read "Good luck in the World Series." After Game 3,when Carbo hit a home run off him,Carbo said,"They told me Carroll was in here and just went crazy,ripping up the picture into little pieces."
Game 6 was postponed three days because of rain. Carbo did not join his teammates for batting practice at Tufts University because he said he couldn't find it. He spent the early part of Game 6 working on his Louisville Slugger. "I’m sitting there and I’m whittling this bat,I took a lathe and took all the polish off. It's nice and smooth. Rick Wise is sitting next to me and says,‘You know,you can’t use that bat. It doesn’t have an emblem on it.’So as the game was going I took a magic marker and wrote ‘Louisville Slugger’on it. That's how I kept myself amused." [4]
In Game 6 (October 21),with two outs and two batters on base in the eighth inning,Roger Moret was scheduled to bat. Darrell Johnson told Carbo to get ready.
And I said,"Hey,I'm not going to hit. Juan Beníquez,grab a bat,you're going to hit. Sparky's going to go to the lefthander because Sparky goes by the book." Darrell 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 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."
Johnny Bench said after the game it looked like a Little Leaguer learning how to hit. Pete Rose said it was the worst swing he ever saw. Don Zimmer said he thought it was over. Rico Petrocelli said it looked like a pitcher who hurt his arm,trying to make a comeback as a hitter. [4]
Carbo's pinch three-run home run tied the score 6-6,paving the way for Carlton Fisk's game-winning homer in the bottom of the twelfth for a 7-6 Red Sox victory. Carbo's pinch homer was his second of the Series,tying Chuck Essegian's 16-year-old record for most in a World Series. Game 7,watched by an estimated 71 million TV viewers,saw the Reds triumph in the ninth inning on a bloop single by Joe Morgan for a 4-3 win.
Tom Yawkey would pass away in 1976,and Carbo wept. Carbo saw Yawkey as a father figure,because his father did not really care about him. Even after his game tying home run in Game 6,he waited all night for a call and did not receive one. New owners Haywood Sullivan and Buddy LeRoux hired a private detective to follow Carbo.
On November 10,2004,he was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
He was eventually sold to the Cleveland Indians in June 1978. This made Bill Lee mad and he called the owners "gutless" and staged a walkout.
His major league career ended in 1980 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In a 12-year career,Carbo was a .264 hitter with 96 home runs and 358 RBI in 1010 games.
In 1989–90,while playing in a senior league in St. Petersburg,Florida,Carbo hit rock bottom. His mother had committed suicide,his father died two months later,and his family was disintegrating. He was spending $32,000 a month on drugs (mostly cocaine). Dalton Jones,a member of the Red Sox 1967 Impossible Dream team,took one look at Carbo and said,"You need Jesus." [4]
Carbo was the field manager for the Pensacola Pelicans from 2003 to 2005. Carbo compiled a record of 150–103 in his three seasons as the field manager,a winning percentage of .593. He led the Pelicans to the championship series in the independent Southeastern League in 2003,losing to the Baton Rouge RiverBats. Carbo resigned in February 2006,in order to return full-time to Diamond Club Ministry. [5]
After retiring,Carbo went on to cosmetology school and opened a hairdressing salon. [6] In 1985,in a federal drug distribution trial,former Cardinal Keith Hernandez said Carbo was the man who introduced him to cocaine in 1980. Carbo subsequently lost his house and his salon because of the bad publicity. [4]
He has since become a born again Christian. In 1993,he founded the evangelical organization "Diamond Club Ministry." and now spends his time ministering to families and their children through his love for the game. He says he has not used drugs or alcohol in over fifteen years.[ citation needed ]
On April 1,2010,in an interview with the Boston Globe ,Carbo admitted to doing drugs during the 1975 World Series. He states,"I probably smoked two joints,drank about three or four beers,got to the ballpark,took some [amphetamines],took a pain pill,drank a cup of coffee,chewed some tobacco,had a cigarette,and got up to the plate and hit." It was not just a one-time binge,however. In the same article,Carbo states,"I played every game high. I was addicted to anything you could possibly be addicted to. I played the outfield sometimes where it looked like the stars were falling from the sky."
"I threw away my career",said Carbo. "If I knew Jesus Christ was my savior at 17,I would have been one heck of a ballplayer,a near Hall of Famer. Instead,I wanted to die." [4]
The 1975 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1975 season. The 72nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Boston Red Sox and the National League (NL) champion Cincinnati Reds. The Reds won the series, four games to three. In 2003, ESPN ranked it the second-greatest World Series ever played, trailing only the 1991 series, while in 2020, Sam Miller of ESPN named it the best World Series ever.
John Michael Pesky, nicknamed "the Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. He was a shortstop and third baseman during a ten-year major league playing career, appearing in 1,270 games played in 1942 and from 1946 to 1954 for three teams. He missed the 1943–45 seasons while serving in World War II. Pesky was associated with the Boston Red Sox for 61 of his 73 years in baseball—from 1940 through June 3, 1952, 1961 through 1964, and from 1969 until his death. Pesky also managed the Red Sox from 1963 to 1964, and in September 1980.
Raymond Otis Boone was an American professional baseball infielder and scout who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Primarily a third baseman and shortstop, he was a two-time American League All-Star, and led his league in runs batted in with 116 in 1955. He batted and threw right-handed and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 172 pounds (78 kg).
The 1970 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1970 season. The 67th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League champion Baltimore Orioles and the National League champion Cincinnati Reds (102–60). The Orioles won, four games to one.
George Charles Scott Jr., nicknamed "Boomer", was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1966 to 1979, most prominently for the Boston Red Sox where he was a member of the 1967 American League pennant winning team and, with the Milwaukee Brewers where he was the 1975 American League home run and RBI champion.
Cecil Celester Cooper is an American former professional baseball player, coach, manager and sports agent. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1971 to 1987 for the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cooper was a member of the Red Sox team that won the 1975 American League pennant but he rose to prominence as a member of the Brewers, where he became a five-time American League All-Star player and a two-time American League RBI champion.
Michael Franklin "Pinky" Higgins was an American third baseman, manager, front office executive and scout in Major League Baseball who played for three teams and served as manager or general manager of the Boston Red Sox during the period of 1955 through 1965. During his playing days, he batted and threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg).
Haywood Cooper Sullivan was an American college and professional baseball player who was a catcher, manager, general manager and club owner in Major League Baseball. From May 23, 1978, through November 23, 1993, he was a general partner in the Boston Red Sox, where he parlayed a $200,000 investment into a cash out of at least $12 million.
Tyrone Alexander Cline is an American former professional baseball player, primarily a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians (1960–62), Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs (1966), San Francisco Giants (1967–68), Montreal Expos (1969–70) and Cincinnati Reds (1970–71). He threw and batted left-handed and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).
Robert Dennis Doyle was an American professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, California Angels, and Boston Red Sox. Listed at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and 175 pounds (79 kg), he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was considered a good-fielding second baseman but a weak hitter.
The 1933 Boston Red Sox season was the 33rd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished seventh in the American League (AL) with a record of 63 wins and 86 losses, 34+1⁄2 games behind the Washington Senators.
The 1949 Boston Red Sox season was the 49th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished second in the American League (AL) with a record of 96 wins and 58 losses, one game behind the New York Yankees, who went on to win the 1949 World Series.
The 1976 Boston Red Sox season was the 76th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished third in the American League East with a record of 83 wins and 79 losses, 15+1⁄2 games behind the New York Yankees, who went on to win the AL championship.
The 1977 Boston Red Sox season was the 77th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished tied for second in the American League East with a record of 97 wins and 64 losses, 2+1⁄2 games behind the New York Yankees.
James Dalton Jones is an American former baseball player who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox (1964–1969), Detroit Tigers (1970–1972), and Texas Rangers (1972).
The 1975 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The Reds dominated the league all season, and won the National League West with a record of 108–54, the best record in MLB and finished 20 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds went on to win the NLCS by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in three straight games, and the World Series in seven games over the Boston Red Sox. The Reds were managed by Sparky Anderson and played their home games at Riverfront Stadium. It was the first World Series championship for Cincinnati since 1940. The 1975 Reds are one of the few teams to consistently challenge the 1927 New York Yankees for the title of the best team in major league history. The Reds went 64–17 at home in 1975, which remains the best home record ever by a National League team. It is currently the second-best home record in MLB history, behind the 1961 Yankees, who went 65-16.
The 1973 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West with a Major League-best record of 99–63, 3+1⁄2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers, before losing the NLCS to the New York Mets in five games. The Reds were managed by Sparky Anderson, and played their home games at Riverfront Stadium.
The 1972 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West title with a record of 95 wins and 59 losses, 10+1⁄2 games over the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers. They defeated the previous year's World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS, but lost to the Oakland Athletics in seven games in the World Series. The Reds were managed by Sparky Anderson.
The 1965 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds finishing in fourth place in the National League, with a record of 89–73, eight games behind the NL and World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds were managed by Dick Sisler and played their home games at Crosley Field.
Carlton Fisk's 1975 World Series home run was a baseball play that occurred in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series on October 21, 1975, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Red Sox defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 7–6, forcing a deciding seventh game, when Carlton Fisk hit a home run in the 12th inning home run to cap off what many consider to be the best World Series game ever played.