50 FAVORITE WHITE SOX PLAYERS

[knightni]

24. Dick Allen

 

 

(6 of 27 lists - 90 points - highest ranking #3 greg775, BigEdWalsh)

 

bio by greg775 and wikipedia -

 

After a relatively quiet year with the Dodgers, Dick Allen was traded to the White Sox for Tommy John prior to the 1972 season. For various reasons, Allen's previous managers had shuffled him around on defense, playing him at first base, third base, and the outfield in no particular order - a practice which almost certainly weakened his defensive play and which may have contributed to his frequent injuries, not to mention his perceived bad attitude. Sox manager Chuck Tanner's low-key style of handling ballplayers made it possible for Allen to thrive, for a while, on the South Side. He decided to play Allen exclusively at first base, which allowed him to concentrate on hitting. That first year, Allen almost single-handedly lifted the entire team to second place in the AL West, as he led the league in home runs (37) (setting a team record), RBI (113), walks (99), on base percentage (.422), slugging average (.603), and OPS (1.023), while winning a well-deserved MVP award. However, the Sox fell short at the end and finished 5-1/2 games behind the World Series-bound Oakland Athletics.

Allen's feats during his years with the White Sox -- particularly in that MVP season of 1972 -- are spoken of reverently by South Side fans who credit him with saving the franchise for Chicago (it was rumored to be bound for Milwaukee or Seattle at the time). His powerful swing sent home runs deep into some of the cavernous old Comiskey Park's farthest reaches, including the roof and even the distant (445 feet) center field bleachers, a rare feat at one of baseball's most pitcher-friendly stadiums. On July 31, 1972, against the Minnesota Twins, Allen became the first player in baseball's "modern era" to hit two inside-the-park home runs in one game in an 8-1 victory. Both homers were hit off Bert Blyleven at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium.

The Sox were favored by many to make the playoffs in 1973, but those hopes were dashed due in large measure to the fractured fibula that Allen suffered in June. (He tried to return five weeks after injuring the leg in a collision with Mike Epstein of the A's, but the pain ended his season after just one game in which he batted 3-for-5.) Despite his making the All-Star team in each of three years with the team, Allen's stay in Chicago ended in controversy when he left the team on September 14 with two weeks left in the 1974 season. In Crash, his autobiography (co-written with Tim Whitaker), Allen blamed his feud with third-baseman Ron Santo, who was playing a final, undistinguished season with the White Sox after leaving the crosstown Chicago Cubs.

With Allen's intention to continue playing baseball uncertain, the Sox reluctantly sold his contract to the Atlanta Braves for only $5,000 despite the fact that he had led the league in home runs, slugging (.563), and OPS (.938). Allen refused to report to the Braves and announced his retirement.

 

MY COMMENTS:

Dick Allen was a character, no doubt about it. But that was for baseball managers and executives to worry about. With the White Sox he was a delight to watch.

He used a big bat, kind of like Soriano uses with the Drubs, only even bigger.

Allen waved the bat like a wand and hit mammoth shots in old Comiskey.

I guess he hit some roof shots, but I more remember his line drive home runs. I saw him hit a home run to deep centerfield in Comiskey that I think, if I am not mistaken hit the damn scoreboard.

He was an amazing talent and had Chicago buzzing during his years in the Windy City.

I believe he was Richey Allen before he came to Chicago and suddenly emerged as Dick Allen for the Sox.

Those of you who remember Dick remember a guy who hit rope after rope.

At Goose Gossage's Hall of Fame ceremony recently he said Dick Allen was the greatest player he'd ever played with or against. Pretty nice compliment when you consider all the greats he teammed with and faced.

I remember seeing a picture of Allen in the dugout with a cigarette in his mouth. He beat to a different drummer but by far is one of the greatest talents in White Sox history.

Remember what Gossage said: Best player he ever played with or against.

Wow!

Cheers to Richie Dick Allen, a great great hitter.

[justBLAZE]

Is he really smoking a cig in that pic?

[knightni]

Is he really smoking a cig in that pic?

Babies chain-smoked in 1972.

[YASNY]

After battling traffic, my father and I walked into Comiskey during the bottom of the first inning. We entered the park on the 3rd base side, but had seats down the right field line. So we walked toward our seats peaking in on the field to keep up with the action. When Allen came to the plate, we were right behind home plate. Pausing to watch, and how could you not, Allen stepped into the box waving that massive piece of lumber that became so familiar to Sox fans. Allen got that big bat into a fastball and hit a screaming line drive toward center. The pitcher, whoever it was, reached up in an attempt to catch it, but was woefully late. That baseball was over the fence in the blink of an eye. It hit the brick wall at the back of the centerfield bullpen and bounced of the wall back onto the field of play. Think about how hard that ball had to be hit to do that. The centerfield fence was marked at 400 feet. The wall behing the pen had to 40 to 45 feet beyond that, yet that ball had enough on it to bounce back over the fence and into centerfield. I've seen some monster shots in my time, including a rooftop job by Greg Luzinski. But, I have never seen any ball hit harder than that one was.

[Leonard Zelig]

Gotta love the cig in the dugout!

[Texsox]

Well most Doctors and Fred and Barney agree

 

 

[Texsox]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...urce=paul_lukas

Great article

 

A few former Sox players are mentioned.

[greg775]

Great post about Allen's line drive being right over the pitcher's head and carrying for a homer. I bet that pitcher still has nightmares as he'd probably be dead if the liner hit him. Can you imagine Allen with an aluminum bat? Pitchers would die.

[YASNY]

Great post about Allen's line drive being right over the pitcher's head and carrying for a homer. I bet that pitcher still has nightmares as he'd probably be dead if the liner hit him. Can you imagine Allen with an aluminum bat? Pitchers would die.

 

Oh I'm sure it would have been fatal if it hit him in the head. I was 14 or 15 when this happened, but I asked my dad about it recently and he remembered it just like I did. So this wasn't the case of a kid blowing things out of proportion in his mind. When I see that old Bugs Bunny cartoon where the baseball actually screams after it is hit, I always think about this homer by Allen.

[greg775]

That's awesome dad remembers it too. One thing about the Allen era is the crowds were pretty small weren't they? I think he played during the days they had the bad astroturf infield and grass outfield. That was ridiculous. That wikpedia note about him retiring cause he didn't like the trade to Atlanta was wild as well.