Dick Allen could be enshrined with the immortals of the game via the Golden Days Era Ballot. It’s an honor that is long overdue for the misunderstood slugger that helped to save baseball on the South Side.
Dick Allen was one of baseball’s most feared sluggers during the 1960s and 1970s. Once he became a full-time regular during the 1964 season with the Philadelphia Phillies, he would go on a decade of dominance where he established himself as one of the game’s most terrifying figures in the batter’s box. Allen, who was viewed negatively by his contemporary media members, has an opportunity to assume his rightful place in Cooperstown this weekend, albeit posthumously.
Allen’s larger-than-life persona was one that lent itself to being misunderstood during his day. But as time has passed since his playing days, many came to understand the man better than they did when he was swinging his famed 40-ounce bat. If Allen is to be enshrined in the hall of the immortals in upstate New York, it will be an honor that is long overdue.
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Blessing your timeline with Dick Allen smoking while juggling baseballs #VintageSox pic.twitter.com/TY49I59E3W
— Sox On Tap (@SoxOnTap) October 24, 2020
Saving The South Side
Allen’s arrival at 35th/Shields prior to the 1972 season was a watershed moment for the White Sox franchise. In many aspects, it was also a saving one. The team’s attendance was floundering as they were rumored to be on the move to Milwaukee, almost potentially being sold to a group fronted by former MLB commissioner, Bud Selig. The team drew a meager 500,000 fans during a dreadful 1970 season that saw them lose 106 games, and the whispers of relocation grew louder by the day.
Allen’s arrival helped to reinvigorate a fan base that needed a breath of life. When he got to 35th/Shields, he made an immediate impact. Allen earned 1972 MVP honors after slugging 37 home runs and slashing a gaudy .308/.420/.603 for a White Sox team that pushed the Oakland A’s but ultimately fell short of winning the AL West.
In the forthcoming book, “Chili Dog MVP“, there are tremendous details surrounding Allen’s arrival on the South Side and how he helped to change a culture surrounding the American League charter franchise. Authors John Owens, Dr. David Fletcher (who happens to be a customer of mine during my day job), and George Castle have tremendous first-hand accounts of teammates that go into great detail about Allen’s clubhouse presence. Additionally, the authors share significant details surrounding the misinterpretations of Allen’s personality, which was often viewed as combative and surly at the time.
37 HR, 114 RBI, 1.023 OPS
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) September 3, 2019
Yeah, Dick Allen was a #WindyCityLegend in 1972. (@Wintrust) pic.twitter.com/vjaVLaXPh8
The book is a tremendous read for any White Sox fan that wants to take a trip down memory lane and get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important figures in franchise history. One of the overarching themes the book delves into is the fact that had Allen not come to the Sox before the 1972 season, we may not have our team today. In a lot of ways, Allen deserves credit for keeping the Sox from leaving the South Side.
Despite having a short stay with the Sox, Allen’s impact cannot be understated. His 1972 MVP campaign was the culmination of a career that was often overshadowed and not appreciated for its greatness. If Allen gets the posthumous call to the hall this weekend, it will right a wrong that should’ve been addressed while the man was still alive.
There is simply no overstating that Dick Allen was one of the greatest offensive forces of his era. Finally getting a plaque in Cooperstown will go a long way toward recognizing what cannot and should not have been denied for so long. He had several stops throughout his career, but Allen himself said that the South Side of Chicago was the first place that truly appreciated him for who he was.
I know there will be a lot of happy White Sox fans that would be willing to make the trip to upstate New York and sport the old red 1970s era Sox hat in support of a player that captured the hearts of many within the fan base.