Dick Allen Biography

Richard Anthony Allen, nicknamed Crash and the Wampum Walloper, was an American professional baseball player born on March 8, 1942, and passed away on December 7, 2020. Dick Allen played 15 seasons in MLB as a first and third baseman, primarily with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox, and was a leading power hitter during the 1960s and early 1970s. A seven-time All-Star, Allen began his career as a Phillie by being selected 1964 National League Rookie of the Year and in 1972 was the American League Most Valuable Player with the Chicago White Sox. Allen's career .534 slugging percentage was among his era's highest in an age of comparatively modest offensive production. In the 1958 and 1960 seasons, Allen captained the basketball team, leading them to the state championship and earning All-American honors. Dick was scouted by Phillies scout Jack Ogden who convinced the team to sign Allen in 1960 for a $70,000 bonus. As the first Black player on the Little Rock minor league team, Dick Allen received death threats during his tenure with the Phillies' affiliate.