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14. Dick Allen

14. Dick Allen
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: March 8, 1942 in Wampum, PA USA
  • Weight: 187 lbs.
  • Height: 5'11"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: September 03, 1963
  • Final Game: June 19, 1977
  • Rookie of the Year - 1964
  • Most Valuable Player - 1972
  • TSN All-Star - 1972
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1972
  • TSN All-Star - 1974
  • MVP - 1964
  • MVP - 1965
  • MVP - 1966
  • MVP - 1967
  • MVP - 1972
  • MVP - 1973
  • MVP - 1974
  • Rookie of the Year - 1964
 
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It is next to impossible to discuss Dick Allen and his tenure with Philadelphia without mentioning the controversy that surrounded him.

It needs to be mentioned that Allen was the first black star for the Phillies, and this was at a time when all of the other teams in MLB had integrated had African-American players of note.  Allen suffered through severe racism as the first black player for their minor league team in Little Rock and despite being an instant star with Philadelphia the racially charged city often targeted him.

It isn’t a misnomer to say that Allen was a star almost automatically with Philadelphia.  He was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1964 and was a power hitter in the dead-ball era.  With Philadelphia, Allen had three 30 Home Run seasons (again, this was very good for this era) and a 40 Home Run campaign in 1966.  He also had four straight .300 seasons (1946-67) and was the National League leader in On Base Percentage in 1967. 

While his bat made him popular with some fans, his atrocious fielding made him the target of others.  Allen would twice lead the National League in Errors and regardless of what position he played there was no way to even label him as even average on a Major League level.  He also refused to play along with media (actually, we like that) and was painted as a villain in some circles, especially after fighting with a white teammate (Frank Thomas) who was subsequently kicked off of the team, though the latter should have as he struck Allen’s shoulder with a baseball bat.

Dick Allen would ask to be traded from Philadelphia and he openly discussed his disdain for the city.  He would be traded to St. Louis and would later win an MVP as a member of the Chicago White Sox.  As the proverb of “time heals all wounds” would prove, Allen would be traded back to Philadelphia and was no longer a hated figure in the city.  He was not the same player he once was, but he was home.

With Philadelphia, Allen blasted 204 Home Runs, batted .290, and had 1,143 Hits.  The Phillies added Allen to their Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1993.  The team retired his number 15 in 2020, shortly before he died.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: First Base, Third Base, Outfield
  • Acquired: Signed as an Amateur Free Agent before the 1960 Season.
  • Departed:

    Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with Jerry Johnson and Cookie Rojas for Byron Browne, Curt Flood, Joe Hoerner and Tim McCarver.  Flood refused to report and Willie Montanez and Jim Browning were sent to complete the trade. 10/7/69.

    Acquired (2):

    Traded from the Atlanta Braves with Johnny Oates for Barry Bonnell, Jim Essian and $150,000.  5/7/75

    Departed (2):

    Signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics. 3/16/77.
  • Games Played: 1070
  • Notable Statistics: 697 Runs Scored
    1,143 Hits
    204 Doubles
    64 Triples
    204 Home Runs
    655 Runs Batted In
    86 Stolen Bases
    .290/.371/.530 Slash Line
    35.4 bWAR

    3 Playoff Games
    1 Run Scored
    2 Hits
    0 Doubles
    0 Triples
    0 Home Runs
    0 Runs Batted In
    0 Stolen Bases
    .222/.417/.222 Slash Line
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    All-Star (1965, 1966 & 1967)
    Rookie of the Year (1964)
    Highest On Base Percentage (1967)
    Highest Slugging Percentage (1966)
    Highest OPS (1966 & 1967)
    Most Runs Scored (1964)
    Most Total Bases (1964)
    Most Triples (1964)
    Highest OPS+ (1967 & 1969)
    Most Extra Base Hits (1964 & 1966)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1968)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1964)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Third Baseman (1965)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Leftfielder (1968)

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