karen carpenter was born at yale new haven hospital in new haven, connecticut on march 2, 1950 to agnes reuwer tatum and harold bertram carpenter. she played baseball a lot, and said that she liked being the pitcher. she had a brother, named richard carpenter. while karen played baseball with her friends, richard usually played the piano. her parents, agnes and harold carpenter, decided that they wanted to move to downey, california, a city near hollywood. they moved in 1963.