FILE - Former Philadelphia Phillies' Dick Allen waves to the crowd before a baseball game against the New York Mets in Philadelphia, in this Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, file photo. Dick Allen, a fearsome hitter who was a seven-time All-Star, the 1964 NL Rookie of the Year and the 1972 AL MVP, has died. “My friends, these (negative) labels have kept Dick Allen out of the Hall of Fame,” Schmidt said. After seven years in Philadelphia, Allen played a season each with the Cardinals and Dodgers. To me, it was typical Dick Allen: I’ve had enough.

Former Philadelphia Phillies player Dick Allen speaks after the unveiling of his retired number prior to a baseball game between the Phillies and the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, in Philadelphia. My friends, these (negative) labels have kept Dick Allen out of the Hall of Fame, Schmidt said. One of my strongest memories is a group of white suburban 8-, 9-, 10-year-old kids playing pickup ball and fantasizing were Dick Allen, Middleton said. We just saw talent, extraordinary talent, more talent than weve ever seen in any baseball player in Philadelphia. We wanted to be just like Dick.Middleton made clear the Phillies retired Allens number solely on his production as a player.