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By Patrick Lujan

Former big leaguer Bernie Carbo (R) discusses his career during his first day on Guam. Jared Baldwin (L) helped bring his friend out to Guam. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
He’s reached the pinnacle of a professional baseball player and the valley of life.
Former major leaguer Bernie Carbo experienced the high of hitting a home run in the 1975 World Series and 98 major league homers and low of drug use.
This week, he’s on Guam sharing his experiences of both high and low with our island’s community as part of his ‘Diamond Club Ministry’ he started in 1993. He is the special guest of Harvest Baptist Church.
“I woke up this morning and it’s beautiful,” Carbo said about his first day on Guam. “The people I’ve met already are all happy and friendly.”
Carbo played for eight teams in his 12-year career, finishing with a .264 batting average, 98 home runs and 358 RBI. He is best known for his pinch hit, three-run homer in Game Six of the ’75 Series that tied the score at 6-all, paving the way for teammate Carlton Fisk’s legendary game-winning homer in the bottom of the twelfth for a 7-6 Red Sox victory. Carbo would be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2004.
His message he will be sharing while on Guam is hard and simple: a lost soul who found Jesus Christ to save him.
Carbo was down and out as a 43-year-old retiree. Addicted to drugs and alcohol.
“I lived my life for 43 years thinking there was nothing wrong,” said the Alabama resident who was an alcoholic at age 17 and a drug addict at 21. “I was traded every two years. Why? Because (the teams) found out about me. I was a crazy man, but did anyone ask me if I needed some help?”
Even his most memorable moment was a telling sign of his life problems. It is well documented that Carbo was high when he pinch hit in the eighth inning of Game Six and smacked a 2-2 pitch to centerfield that would tie the game and set up the Fisk homer.
“I dreamt about it my whole life. After the game I’m smoking and drinking and crying, thinking ‘what do I have to do to be loved’.
“Who would’ve thought that home run would open doors. Thirty seven years later, that home run got me to come to Guam.”
He had been the Reds’ number-one draft pick in the inaugural 1965 draft, ahead of Johnny Bench. He was the 1969 Minor League Player of the Year and The Sporting Newsrookie of the year in 1970.

Carbo shares his life’s story about drugs and alcohol and turning his life around through Jesus Christ during lunch at Chili’s Wednesday. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
He hit rock bottom in 1993 when his mother committed suicide, his father passed away and his first marriage dissolved. While in rehab, Carbo opened his heart to Christ and it changed his life forever.
Now he uses baseball as the media to share with others the drastic change. While in Guam, he will be speaking at the Department of Corrections, Department of Youth Affairs and speak Sunday night at the Harvest Baptist Church at 5 p.m.
“They think that they can’t be forgiven and they live with guilt,” said Carbo about people he reaches out to. They think they won’t change or they think they have to fix everything before accepting Christ in their life.”
Reflecting back at his 17-year pro career in which he says, “I must have been pretty good”, Carbo imagines what could’ve been.
“When I look at things today, I would sacrifice to be great. God wants you to be as good as you possibly can. The game is not the most important thing.”
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
12th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2K/5K
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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