Dick Allen story

[LosMediasBlancas]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/roeper/cst-nws-roep07.html

Last story on the bottom.

[Texsox]

funny if it's true.

 

Now, the story would have been he was in a bathroom stall with Bonds, Giambi, Canseco, Sosa, McGuire, (how big are those stalls) getting a steroid shot . . .

[LosMediasBlancas]

funny if it's true.

 

Now, the story would have been he was in a bathroom stall with Bonds, Giambi, Canseco, Sosa, McGuire, (how big are those stalls) getting a steroid shot . . .

 

It's right up there with the guy eating a hot dog, on roop top near Wrigley, still in his uni., during a game, classic.

[The Critic]

It's funny to me that the things Allen did have become almost legendary, but if he was a player these days he'd get destroyed if he did the exact same stuff.

[Texsox]

It's funny to me that the things Allen did have become almost legendary, but if he was a player these days he'd get destroyed if he did the exact same stuff.

 

Babe Ruth would have been in rehab a few times.

[southsider2k5]

I love it when Rich Daley talks about taking responsibility. That's almost as good as the Red Sox owners taking about costs in baseball.

[Mplssoxfan]

I'm surprised he wasn't having a beer with his tacos -- actually, he probably was. The guy loved his beers and the racetrack.

[WilliamTell]

funny if it's true.

 

Now, the story would have been he was in a bathroom stall with Bonds, Giambi, Canseco, Sosa, McGuire, (how big are those stalls) getting a steroid shot . . .

 

 

lol nice

[South Side Fireworks Man]

I remember that game. In fact, I graduated from Grammar School that day. I could swear though, that home run went into the upper deck in left field. Anyone else remember that?

 

BTW, Sparky Lyle was one of the best relief pitchers in the game at the time. When he came in to close out a game, it was considered almost automatic.

[Yossarian]

It's funny to me that the things Allen did have become almost legendary, but if he was a player these days he'd get destroyed if he did the exact same stuff.

He caught plenty of hell in his time. Some deserved and some not. But you're right, today's vicious venal highlight reel driven sports media would give him no peace whatsoever. Nevertheless, personal faults and all he was a great talent who almost singlehandedly saved the Sox from extinction. He could stir a frenzy in the old ball park by just making an appearance in the on deck circle.

[Whitewashed in '05]

What about being locked inside a bathroom stall? Didn't that happen to Jeff Leifer about a year ago in the minors? He was supposed to play but he was no where to be found but stuck inside the bathroom?

[Chisoxmatt]

What about being locked inside a bathroom stall? Didn't that happen to Jeff Leifer about a year ago in the minors? He was supposed to play but he was no where to be found but stuck inside the bathroom?

Yeah that was frickin hilarious. Can you imagine being in that situation?

[Wanne]

I remember that game.  In fact, I graduated from Grammar School that day.  I could swear though, that home run went into the upper deck in left field.  Anyone else remember that?

 

BTW, Sparky Lyle was one of the best relief pitchers in the game at the time.  When he came in to close out a game, it was considered almost automatic.

 

 

I absolutely remember that game and was there. It was a lower deck shot South Side. Actually he hit it into a fairly decent wind and I swear the thing didn't get more that 20 feet off the ground...it was a friggin screamin' line drive. Yeah...Sparky was the s*** at that time too. It's funny though because I don't remember there being any delay waiting for him...and I pretty much recall there were two outs when he batted. The story said Tanner wanted him to hit with one out....so I guess that makes sense having to track him down. I remember seein him sittin' in the dugout smokin cigs too. That story's funny as hell.

 

He's still my favorite White Sox player of all time!...I believe he hit the scoreboard at old Comisky too.

[Al Lopez Ghost (old)]

I absolutely remember that game and was there.  It was a lower deck shot South Side.  Actually he hit it into a fairly decent wind and I swear the thing didn't get more that 20 feet off the ground...it was a friggin screamin' line drive.  Yeah...Sparky was the s*** at that time too.  It's funny though because I don't remember there being any delay waiting for him...and I pretty much recall there were two outs when he batted.  The story said Tanner wanted him to hit with one out....so I guess that makes sense having to track him down.  I remember seein him sittin' in the dugout smokin cigs too.  That story's funny as hell.

 

He's still my favorite White Sox player of all time!...I believe he hit the scoreboard at old Comisky too.

I was there too. You're right about the homer, and I agree that it didn't seem like there was any delay, but Tanner was a good manager and probably had been looking for Allen long before he needed him. But nobody ever hit the scoreboard at old Comiskey.

 

Allen did hit the centerfield bleachers, and only 7 people ever did that - Jimmie Foxx, Greenberg, Alex Johnson, Allen, Zisk, Tony Armas Senior and George Bell. Of those, all but Johnson and Armas also had roofshots at Old Comiskey. This is from the 1991 Sox media guide.

[elrockinMT]

I was in the Army during the time Dick Allen was playing for the Sox. I listened all the time to Armed Forces Radio and they used to have the Sox on quite a bit. Those were the days we battled the Oakland A's for the West Division title. Dick Allen was a great player and I thought at the time the trade was made sending Tommy John to the Dodghers for Allen that it was a good deal all the way around. I just wish Dick could have concentrated more on baseball though and stayed around a few more years with the Sox.

[winninguglyin83]

Dick Allen, Chuck Tanner and Harry Caray (along with Carlos May, Wilbur Wood and Bill Melton) saved the White Sox in the early 70s.

 

They were always very good. One year they might have been the second best team in baseball.

 

The problem was that Oakland was just incredibly good back then, winning three straight World Series, and the Sox were stuck in the AL West.

 

Allen was just an absolute bad ass, legendary for showing up 15 minutes or so before the game, never taking BP, swinging his 40-ounce bat and raking.

 

Decent first baseman, too, who wore his batting helmet in the field.

[Wanne]

I was there too. You're right about the homer, and I agree that it didn't seem like there was any delay, but Tanner was a good manager and probably had been looking for Allen long before he needed him. But nobody ever hit the scoreboard at old Comiskey.

 

Allen did hit the centerfield bleachers, and only 7 people ever did that - Jimmie Foxx, Greenberg, Alex Johnson, Allen, Zisk, Tony Armas Senior and George Bell. Of those, all but Johnson and Armas also had roofshots at Old Comiskey. This is from the 1991 Sox media guide.

 

 

Thanks for the info Ghost...I remember one game I was at in the right field upper deck...closest to the scoreboard...and I remember a shot he hit (against Baltimore I believe)...and it went to about the next to last row in the centerfield bleachers...and it wasn't a big towering shot...it was a line drive. Damn that guy was strong!

 

Speaking of old Comiskey...I thought this was kinda cool:

 

http://mall.ballparks.com/product_info.php?products_id=488