David Concepción is one of those cases of those who should be inside, but have been left out of the Hall of Fame. And no hot ass has defended it.
50 years ago David Concepción became so notable in the Major Leagues that manager Sparky Anderson named him captain of the Reds.
Significant choice, because in that 1973 roster, there were also Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Tany Pérez, Ken Griffey Sr., Joe Morgan, George Foster, Cesar Gerónimo.
During that season, I asked Sparky, during an interview, why he made David captain. He answered:
“He was practically the captain already. He has been managing the infield with marked success, because he knows the game very well and has quality and an attitude of líder natural".
David hit 287 that year and 1974 in 281, when he appeared in more games than anyone in the league, 160.
In 1975, in seven games, the Reds beat the Red Sox in the World Series, considered the best baseball series in history.
In 1976, they repeated. They won the Series against the Yankees in just four dates. Everything, with the captain from Arague as shortstop.
On July 13, 1982, in Montreal, David was chosen The Most Valuable of the All-Star Game, because his home run was decisive in the victory of the National, 4-1. This has been a fact of great importance in the history of baseball in Venezuela.
The end of David's career was with the 1988 season. For 18 years he was in the Majors, always with the Reds. He posted a 267 batting average, 326 hits, 101 home runs and 950 RBIs.
David will celebrate his 75 years of age in a few days, on Saturday June 17, dedicated to his farm in Carmen de Cura, Aragua.
He appeared in nine All-Star Games and remained a Hall of Fame candidate for 15 years, 1994-2008, but his highest number of votes came in 1998, reaching only 19.9%.
Later David was a candidate for Cooperstown for the Veterans Committees. And he did not reach the required votes either.
However, they have never protested about it, nor have they told lies, like those who try to ensure that they do not vote for them, because they refused to grant interviews.
But, so many good memories of David, have been received by the hearts of thousands of fans. And that's a good Hall of Fame.
Historical fact: Before David, they didn't wear the number 13 on Major League Baseball uniforms. Now it is very popular.
The HOF is a distinction of honor, but without that distinction they don't take away David's bailao, so it doesn't matter that no hot ass appears to defend the great David.
A big shout out to my number one figure in baseball. The Great David conception. He will always be my big SS jock. And a happy birthday on his day. God 🙏 give you lots of health and blessings. Texi Diaz.