For the complete list and explanation of criteria and scoring, check out the Philly Fifty page
“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
“Dick Allen hit a ball harder than any player I’ve ever seen” — Willie Mays (paraphrased)
“I’ll play first, third, left. I’ll play anywhere — except Philadelphia.” — Dick Allen, The Sporting News, April 1970
Longevity – 3
Allen played the first 6 years of his career in Philadelphia (7 if you count his cup of coffee in 1963) and the returned in the twilight for another 2-year stint.
Peak – 4
Allen’s best year came in 1966, landing him 10th on my top-20 individual Phillies’ seasons. To steal from that post… Allen led the NL in OPS and SLG% that season, while posting the highest OPS+ of any full season in Phillies history. He finished 4th in the MVP voting, behind only Willie Mays among hitters. He joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Willie McCovey as the only NL players to hit 40 HR with an OPS over 1.000 during the 1960′s. He had two other dominant seasons with team, 1964 and 1967.
Popularity – 2
Allen had a poor (to say the least) relationship with the fans in the 60′s and was often the subject of taunts from racist fans. He had a notorious run-in with teammate Frank Thomas and a couple other notable issues. Bill James listed him as the 2nd most controversial baseball player ever. I think history has viewed him in a kinder sense as much (most?) of the problems with Allen stemmed from the racially-charged 60′s.
Team Success – 3
The Phillies had a winning record, 759-698, during Allen’s two tenures, but only reached the playoffs once, exiting in the first round.
Awards – 3
He won rookie of the year in 1964 with one of the best rookie seasons ever. He lead the league in total bases, runs and triples and was near the top of the leaderboard in almost every major category. He made 3 all-star appearances with the Phillies, and finished in the top-5 in MVP voting once (’66).
Stats – 3
Allen’s career ranks with the Phillies…
- 3rd in SLG%
- 6th in WAR
- 8th in HR
- 9th in OPS
- 11th in triples
- 15th in runs
- 17th in RBI
- 22nd in hits
- 25th in doubles
Historical Standing – 2
Allen is a borderline HOF candidate, who is unlikely to get in. He is finished with the normal voting process, but still has a shot on the veteran’s committee. He might have a better shot if they voted on him 10-15 years from now as Sabermetric stats get more mainstream. Among players current NOT in the HOF, Allen is 8th all-time in oWAR (just the batting aspect of WAR). The only players ahead of him are either steroid users (Bonds, Palmeiro, Sheffield, McGwire) aren’t eligible yet (Frank Thomas), didn’t play a position (Edgar Martinez) or were robbed on the last ballot (Bagwell).
Another argument for HOF consideration is to compare his career split-line .292/.378/.534 to a sure-fire HOFer .284/.370/.538. The second, nearly identical split line belongs to Ken Griffey Jr.
Excitement – 4
Allen had strength and power you don’t often see on a baseball field and could simply mash the ball. Every so often at a baseball game, someone hits the ball so hard on a line drive that the whole crowd is buzzing afterward, talking about whether or not the short-stop’s life was in danger. It seems liked this kind of hit, along with many HR’s, were more commonplace for Allen than for most. I think this summary from his Wikipedia page (which sites Bill Jenkinson’s book The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs) sums up his power nicely…
Dick Allen, like Babe Ruth, hit with heavy bat. Allen’s 40-ouncer bucked the Ted Williams-inspired trend of using a light bat for increased bat speed. Dick Allen combined massive strength and body torque to produce bat speed and drive the ball. 18 of his drives cleared Connie Mack Stadium‘s 65-foot-high left field Grandstand.[3] Twice Dick Allen cleared that park’s 65-foot-high right center field scoreboard: a feat considered virtually impossible for a right-handed hitter.[3] Allen hit perhaps his most memorable Philadelphia homerun off of the Cardinal’s Ray Washburn in 1965 when he cleared Connie Mack Stadium’s left center field roof Coke sign. That homerun, an estimated 529-footer, inspired Willie Stargell to say: “Now I know why they (the Phillies fans) boo Richie all the time. When he hits a home run, there’s no souvenir.”
Total: 24
For the complete list and explanation of criteria and scoring, check out the Philly Fifty page
By the time I get through this, it might not sound like I’m much of a Crash Allen as a Phillie fan. Such is not the case. I felt priveleged to watch him play. I couldn’t believe I had the good fortune to see another 3rd baseman be of extreme greatness a mere decade later on the home team, maybe that’s an indicator of how much I appreciated him.
But of the Phillies run of goodness, if not greatness in the 60′s, I wonder who from that, or those clubs belongs higher than Richie. The stylish left hander will get points for longetivity, should he make it. The Senator had at least 2 brilliant years in a short stay. I don’t know that I’d place them above Allen. Maybe. But I think that despite quite the impact, I might feel pretty comfortable placing Johnny Callison ahead of Allen.
Johnny set a long time standard around here for best rightfielder in franchise history. I feel inclined to give points for best at his position. He was night and day in comparison to Allen defensively. And that really runs secondarily to the fact that Callsions was an outstanding defensive player compared to anyone. Allen had a better career, but on an evaluation of Phillie time, I think I feel more comfortable rating Callison higher, and probably higher than anyone from the 1960′s.
Allen had a great relationship with this 60s fan. He played hard, ran the bases like few in his time could, hit for average and hit tape-measure blasts every once in a while to inspire a generation. All of it done with a cool and singular style. Never once booed him. Why would anyone? He was the best Phillie I’d ever seen between the lines. His early Arkansas stationing, ’pushin’ the car’ injury, Thomas tangle, horse track sidetracks, toe-in’ the dirt … all part of the legend. I feel fortunate to have witnessed him. One of a kind – in talent and in disposition.
Looks like ESPN is ripping off this concept, Pete.
If I might comment as a non-Phillie fan, I’d say Richie Allen was one of the most terrifically talented players of the middle 1900s. He had Willie Mays talent, and he added exactly what every GM wants at 3B – HRs and RBIs. Few teams have such a talent at 3B, and those that do, they are lucky. Yes, you in Philly had one even better a decade later, perhaps the best there of all time. But Richie Allen was the guy teams feared coming into Connie Mack Stadium. With all due candor, your teams didn’t have much else. You had no McCovey to the Giants’ Mays, no Maris to the Yanks’ Mantle, no Bill White to the Cardinals’ Boyer (don’t laugh), no Boog Powell or Brooks to the Orioles’ FRobbie, no Mathews to the Braves’ Aaron. He had a reputation for being a bit surly, and in that he was not alone. Such players are not popular with local press, and the press usually turns the fans against them. I happen to be from St Louis (sorry about 1964 – I picked the Phils at the beginning of that season), and have seen several surly guys come to a town that doesn’t do that to players. Cepeda, Maris, Jack Clark, and Mark McGwire, for example. Philly is famous for tough fans, St Louis for gracious and appreciative fans. Richie Allen was only in STL for one year, but he was appreciated. He also played with the White Sox, my current home team, and he made the SN AL All-Star team 2 of the 3 years. I for one think he deserves to be in the HOF, but his reputation with sports media makes him a bad bet. If he gets in, it will be in spite of his bad press, and I DO hope it happens some day. Good luck to you, Richie. Ya done good!
niece piece. Not for the length, or quite the level of talent you pointed out with some fine names, but those of us that lived the time really did have a second part of the 1-2 punch in the person of Johnny Callison. If you can relate to mentioning Ken Boyer in your list, then you can relate to the appreciation we had for the solid all around skills that Callison brought to the table. It doesn’t look like Crash Allen will land in Cooperstown, and it’s not exactly okay, but that Cooperstown is somewhat secondary to the pleasure of having watched him. Sort of like the way it looks like it will go with Chase Utley, or in the Cardinals case, guys like Bake McBride, or for a shorter period, a John Tudor, the play of a guy that you appreciate by seeing him regularly that the national spotlight veers away from.
I remember seeing Richie Allen hit a line drive home run over the 447 sign in center field in Connie Mack stadium and a one handed home run to the opposite field over the scoreboard in right field.What power!!!
I saw Dick Allen hit a ball so hard at Connie Mack, it shattered the wood seatback of a left field seat – but within a (and this is no exageration) a split second of him slugging it; and also imagine the ball was still rocketing on a upward, linear path before it literally smashed into the seat. I was so stunned that I remembered that I didn’t applaud at first – I was talking and looking at everyone around me – we were all looking at each other, in amazement at what we just saw, and everyone saying things like Holy Cow! Whoa! I never saw a ball hit that hard in my life” Dick Allen was and always has been one of my favorite baseball players ever sice I was a kid growing up in Philly.
I remember listening one night when Richie Ashburn, certainly one of Phillies favorite was announcing the game. Richie Ashburn was saying Richie Allen’s coming up to bat and then an almost silence when Richie started screaming, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it”. I remember wondering what can’t you believe, and finally after he was done screaming he said “I have never seen a ball hit that hard”. Apparently on a dead line drive the ball was a home run. No arc just staight as an arrow into the stands.
What a shame that a stupid off season injury to his hand ruined his career. Pushing a car put his hand through the headlight. Never was the same after that.