PHILLIES ALL-TIME GREAT DICK ALLEN PASSES AT 78

By Tom Brennan

Phillies legend Dick Allen, who starred in Major League Baseball for 15 seasons, died today at his home in Wampum, his family announced. He was 78.

Allen, who played third base, first base, and left field, spent the majority of his career with the Phillies, for whom he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1964.

His best year, though, was with the Chicago White Sox in 1972, when he led the American League in home runs, RBIs, walks, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. All those numbers resulted in the AL MVP award, and The Chicago Tribune notes that he helped rejuvenate the franchise, which was struggling to attract fans to Comiskey Park before his arrival.

For his career, Allen slashed .292/.378/.534 and hit 351 home runs and made seven All Star teams. He was not elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America when he was eligible and subsequently fell off the ballot, but it appeared likely he would have been voted in this year, had the Golden Era committee vote not been delayed by COVID-19, a decision many feel is long overdue.

If not for COVID delaying this year’s Hall of Fame vote, Dick Allen likely would have been voted into the HOF on Sunday by the Golden Era Veterans Committee.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 7, 2020

Before COVID postponed this year's vote, Dick Allen would have learned his Hall of Fame fate this week. The great slugger, who had his No. 15 retired by the Phillies this summer, died today. A story from this summer as we remember a great Philliehttps://t.co/amPI4UUqCP

— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyNBCS) December 7, 2020

With sadness in our hearts, we need to share that Dick passed away this afternoon at his home in Wampum pic.twitter.com/BEIrcQlfRG

— Dick Allen (@DickAllen_15) December 7, 2020