Dave Concepción
The slick-fielding shortstop and inventive leader of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine, who revolutionized defensive play with his barehanded style and tactical savvy.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Venezuelan baseball player·Birthday: June 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dave Concepción arrived in Cincinnati from Venezuela and, over nearly two decades, became the defensive heartbeat of one of baseball's greatest dynasties. While the Big Red Machine boasted thunderous bats, it was Concepción's grace and innovation at shortstop that solidified the defense. He pioneered the now-common practice of one-hopping throws to first base on artificial turf, and his barehanded picks were a signature move. Beyond his nine Gold Gloves, he was a clubhouse leader and a capable hitter who developed surprising power. His career is a testament to longevity and consistent excellence, providing the steady, brilliant foundation upon which the Reds' championships of the 1970s were built, and inspiring a generation of Latin American infielders.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dave was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two World Series championships with the Cincinnati Reds in 1975 and 1976.
- Earned nine National League Gold Glove Awards for his defensive excellence at shortstop.
- Was selected to nine National League All-Star teams during his career.
- His number 13 was retired by the Cincinnati Reds, a rare honor for a player not in the Hall of Fame.
Did You Know?
He is credited with inventing the 'hidden ball trick' where the shortstop receives a throw back from the outfield and quickly tags a runner who has taken a lead.
Concepción was the first Venezuelan player to start in a World Series game.
After retirement, he served as a coach for the Cincinnati Reds and managed the Venezuelan national baseball team.
“A shortstop must be the calm in the storm of the infield.”
