The long wait is over. It was just announced that MLB legend Dick Allen will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in July of 2025. Former Pirates slugger Dave Parker will join him after a vote by the Hall’s Classic Baseball Era Committee.
So ends one of the biggest snubs in sports history. Tragically, Dick did not live long enough to participate in his ceremony. He passed away in 2020 at the age of 78.
Dick Allen was a Legendary Player
Dick Allen was a larger-than-life legend. Almost a folk hero, he lived his life harder, with more conviction, and with more gusto than anyone could imagine. His play on the baseball field was enough to place him among the greats of all time. Starting with his rookie season in 1964. Allen terrorized Major League pitchers for 15 seasons. He was a sight to see at the plate, swinging his 42-ounce bat like a toothpick.
Statistically, Allen was a monster. A seven-time All-Star, 1964 NL Rookie of the Year, 1972 AL MVP, two-time AL Home Run Leader, and 1972 AL RBI Leader. For his career, Allen batted .292 with 351 homers and 1,119 RBI, playing first and third base and leftfield. His career slash line was .292/.378/.534, and from 1964-74, he posted a 58.3 WAR.
Allen rarely took batting practice, but it was a spectacle to watch and admire when he did. Former White Sox teammate, the late Bill Melton, recalled such an occasion. “You’re going to Oakland, and it’s Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, all those guys. But we had Dick Allen. They all just hung around when Dick was taking batting practice. … He would come out, and the whole Oakland bench would be loaded with about five or six players just watching him take batting practice. He just had a mystique about him.”
“He’s the greatest player I’ve ever seen play in my life,” Hall of Fame closer Goose Gossage told USA Today in 2014. “He had the most amazing season (1972) I’ve ever seen. He’s the smartest baseball man I’ve ever been around in my life. He taught me how to pitch from a hitter’s perspective, and taught me how to play the game, and how to play the game right. There’s no telling the numbers this guy could have put up if all he worried about was his stats.”
Confronted MLB Racism
But there was a whole other side to Dick Allen’s career. It was the years of racial bigotry by fans, teammates, and others in the game that he finally confronted, which led to his unpopularity in some circles. He was booed every game and regularly had items thrown at him on the field. He was constantly sent hate mail and sports writers labeled him as a malcontent who wanted preferential treatment. Many people believe that’s why his entrance into the Hall was delayed.
Forer Phillies teammate Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said this regarding the conditions that Dick Allen played under. “Dick was a sensitive Black man who refused to be treated as a second-class citizen.”
Closing Thoughts
I hope that somewhere, Dick Allen is smiling as he has finally gotten the recognition that he has long deserved. As for me, I am going to swing my replica 42-ounce Dick Allen bat, given to me by my good friend Greg Williams, and remember one of the greatest hitters of all time and also one of my favorite players ever. Here’s to you, Dick.
