An enigmatic superstar who baffled teammates, fans, and the front office with his bizarre behavior, Dick Allen was Dennis Rodman before it was cool. Allen's off the field flare and penchant for controversy overshadowed his great baseball skills. He was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1960s and early 1970s, and many of his teammates identified him as a significant imfluence on their career. | Full bio ⇓
Quotes About Dick Allen
"Allen was scary at the plate. When he came up there, he had your attention. I want to forget a couple of line drives he hit off me, but I can’t because they almost killed me." — Mickey Lolich on Dick Allen
"Never in my life have I been associated with a better person. I want this fellow to play for me the rest of his career." — Chuck Tanner on Dick Allen
Teams Dick Allen Played For
Philadelphia Phillies (1963-1969) St. Louis Cardinals (1970) Los Angeles Dodgers (1971) Chicago White Sox (1972-1974) Philadelphia Phillies (1975-1976) Oakland Athletics (1977)
Where does Dick Allen rank among baseball greats?
Dick Allen ranks #11 among the Top 50 all-time at 1B. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1972 Allen led the American League in every power category - homers (37), RBI (113), slugging (.603), and Isolated Power (.295). His .308 batting average was third in the league. He led in OBP, Total Average, Runs Created, Batting Runs, and OPS (1.025). He swiped 19 bases and led the league with 99 walks and 70 extra-base hits.
Full Bio Richie Allen broke in with a bang, winning the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year award with the Philadelphia Phillies. That team blew a six-game lead in the final week of the season, one of the worst collapses in baseball history. It was about as close as Allen would get to a World Series.
His disruptions in the Philadelphia clubhouse led to his trade to the Cardinals in 1970, and in turn his trade to Los Angeles in 1971. By 1972 he was on his fourth team in four years - the White Sox. While there, manager Chuck Tanner soothed the talented star's ego long enough for him to win two home run titles and the AL MVP in 1972. From 1964 to 1972 Allen slugged at least twenty home runs each season, driving in 100 or more three times.
He led the AL in home runs and slugging in 1974 despite bolting the team in September to return to his ranch and tend to his horses. The next season he was back in Philadelphia where he polarized the clubhouse, tainting such young players as Mike Schmidt and Garry Maddox. In the 1976 playoffs against Cincinnati he sulked and complained while the team lost. His final season saw him shipped to Oakland.
Allen's attitude problems, misconstrued or not, have left him outside of the Hall of Fame, despite his worthy credentials. Despite the fact that his league-adjusted offensive numbers are some of the best for any player not in the Hall of Fame (and better than many who are in), it seems virtually certain that the controversial slugger will never be enshrined.
The wide range of skills he possessed are evident in the fact that Allen led the league in such diverse categories as on-base percentage, homers, triples, runs scored, RBI, total bases, slugging, extra-base hits, and walks. Allen was also a very good baserunner and he stole enough bases to finish in the top ten in his league twice.
On the defensive side, Allen was used anywhere his teams could hide his shaky glove. He played more than 800 games at first base, 650 at third, and 250 in the outfield. It was with his bat that Allen made his living. After his playing career he retreated to his ranch, where he maintained a breeding farm. A horse lover, Allen once said of Astroturf, "If horses can't eat it, I don't want to play on it."
Most Walk-Off Home Runs, Career Jimmie Foxx........12
Mickey Mantle......12
Stan Musial........12
Frank Robinson.....12
Babe Ruth..........12
Tony Perez.........11
Dick Allen.........10
Harold Baines......10
Reggie Jackson.....10
Mike Schmidt.......10
Major League Leaders (1963-1977) Slugging
Henry Aaron... .542
Dick Allen... .534
Willie Stargell... .529
W. McCovey... .527
Willie Mays... .521
OPS
Henry Aaron... .920
Dick Allen... .914
W. McCovey... .914
F. Robinson... .907
Willie Mays... .901
Total Average
Joe Morgan... .959
W. McCovey... .951
Henry Aaron... .942
F. Robinson... .935
Dick Allen... .930
Home Runs
Henry Aaron... 457
W. McCovey... 429
Willie Stargell... 401
H. Killebrew... 395
Billy Williams... 377
Dick Allen... 351
Where He Played First base (807), third base (652), outfield (256). He was really a designated hitter a few years before the DH was entrenched.
Born Richard Anthony Allen was born on March 8, 1942, in Wampum, PA.
Similar Players Albert Belle, Jose Canseco, Jack Clark
Related Players The original Frank Thomas, with whom Allen had an infamous fist fight in 1964, precipitating Thomas's trade.
Hall of Fame Voting
Year
Election
Votes
Pct
1983
BBWAA
14
3.7%
1985
BBWAA
28
7.1%
1986
BBWAA
41
9.6%
1987
BBWAA
55
13.3%
1988
BBWAA
52
12.2%
1989
BBWAA
35
7.8%
1990
BBWAA
58
13.1%
1991
BBWAA
59
13.3%
1992
BBWAA
69
16.0%
1993
BBWAA
70
16.5%
1994
BBWAA
66
14.5%
1995
BBWAA
72
15.7%
1996
BBWAA
89
18.9%
1997
BBWAA
79
16.7%
Post-Season Appearances
1976 National League Championship Series
Awards and Honors
1964 NL Rookie of the Year
1972 AL MVP
Hitting Streaks
15 games (1972)
15 games (1969)
Transactions Before 1960 Season: Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent; October 7, 1969: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Jerry Johnson and Cookie Rojas to the St. Louis Cardinals for Tim McCarver, Byron Browne, Joe Hoerner, and Curt Flood. Curt Flood refused to report to his new team. The St. Louis Cardinals sent Willie Montanez (April 8, 1970) and Bob Browning (minors) (August 30, 1970) to the Philadelphia Phillies to complete the trade; October 5, 1970: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ted Sizemore and Bob Stinson; December 2, 1971: Traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Chicago White Sox for Tommy John and Steve Huntz; December 3, 1974: Traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named later and cash. The Atlanta Braves sent Jim Essian (May 15, 1975) to the Chicago White Sox to complete the trade; May 7, 1975: Traded by the Atlanta Braves with Johnny Oates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jim Essian, Barry Bonnell, and $150000 cash; November 5, 1976: Granted Free Agency; March 16, 1977: Signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics; March 28, 1978: Released by the Oakland Athletics.
All-Star Selections
1965 NL
1966 NL
1967 NL
1970 NL
1972 AL
1973 AL
1974 AL
Replaced Don Hoak, as third baseman for the Phillies in 1964.
Replaced By Allen's last job was as first baseman for the 1977 A's, splitting playing time with left-handed batters Mike Jorgensen and Jerry Tabb. In 1978, the A's gave the first base job to rookie Dave Revering.
Best Strength as a Player Power and the ability to lead. "He taught me how to pitch from a great hitter's standpoint," Goose Gossage said. "No amount of money could have paid for that kind of experience or advice. I didn't realize it at the time, but Dick Allen was the greatest player I ever played with."
