Shocker: Bernie Carbo tried to break Keith Hernandez’s arms

I’ve always thought that Game 6 of the 1975 World Series was a little overrated. It was a great game, but only achieved immortality because a camera happened to be on Carlton Fisk as he was waving the ball fair. Why was this game any more special than Game 6 in 1991, also won by an extra-inning walkoff homer by a future Hall-of-Famer (Kirby Puckett) that forced a Game 7?

And I always felt that Bernie Carbo got short shrift for his dramatic three-run homer in the eighth inning that tied the game at 6 and set the stage for Fisk’s blast.

Until now, when I saw an article “Bernie Carbo tried to pay someone to break Keith Hernandez’s arms.”

According to the article, Carbo went after Hernandez after Keith testified that Carbo introduced him to cocaine while they were both on the Cardinals.

In the original ESPN article, Carbo says “he has been clean and sober for 16 years and he would apologize to Hernandez for introducing him to cocaine.”

There are way too many instances of how it’s better to enjoy sports for what is being done on the field rather than to think about what some players are up to off the field. Puckett, for example, saw his reputation take several hits before his untimely death in 2006.

I had already heard a few weeks ago of how Carbo admitted he was on drugs when he hit his homer and in many other games as well. That’s not something you want to hear, but as a fan of the 1980s Mets, I’m probably not in a position to demand retroactive drug tests.

But putting out a hit on Keith? When it comes to Game 6 in 1975, I’ll stick to celebrating Fisk’s homer from now on.

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