The case for Dick Allen’s induction is a strong one. He was a power hitter in an era dominated by strong starting pitching. His impressive power numbers are complimented nicely by his three slugging titles. Allen could hit for average and despite his ability to hit tape measure bombs, he collected walks by the truckload and led the league in on base percentage twice. With a Rookie of the Year and MVP trophy, Dick Allen proved his merit as one of the best offensive players of his time.
The detractors point to his poor defense (especially at third) and that he was not around as long as others. Allen was called a clubhouse cancer by some and he was not a friend to the press. With that said, managers who he played for (Gene Mauch and Chuck Tanner) referred to him as a great team guy and a leader. As he was maligned by baseball print media and had other outside interests, Dick Allen got a reputation that in retrospect seems undeserved. That reputation may have been a big reason that he did not get into the Hall of Fame, and in Senior Ballots that followed.
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