Phillies retiring iconic slugger Dick Allen's No. 15 in September
Dick Allen is finally getting his due from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Allen, one of the most iconic and maligned baseball stars of the 1960s and 70s, will have his No. 15 retired by the Phillies, the team announced Thursday. A ceremony will take place before their Sept. 3 game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.
It marks the first time the Phillies have retired a number for a player who is not in the Hall of Fame.
| Player | Retired Number |
|---|---|
| Pete Alexander | P* |
| Chuck Klein | P* |
| Richie Ashburn | 1 |
| Jim Bunning | 14 |
| Mike Schmidt | 20 |
| Steve Carlton | 32 |
| Roy Halladay** | 34 |
| Robin Roberts | 36 |
| Jackie Robinson*** | 42 |
*Player honored, but did not wear a number
**Ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19
***Number retired throughout MLB
"I think he (Allen) was just kind of stunned, to be honest with you," Phillies managing partner John Middleton told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "I think for him, he always hoped to have a jersey retired and make the Hall of Fame but had maybe given up hope of that happening. I think when that gets presented to you, your first reaction is almost disbelief. I think he was nonplussed."
— Dick Allen (@DickAllen_15) August 13, 2020
Allen spent nine of his 15 major-league seasons with the Phillies in two stints with the team. As Philadelphia's rookie third baseman in 1964, he put together one of the best freshman seasons in MLB history by leading the majors in runs and triples while collecting 201 hits and a .939 OPS. His 8.2 WAR is still the National League rookie record, per FanGraphs.
Allen slugged 204 of his 351 career home runs in a Phillies uniform while posting a .902 OPS and 153 OPS+. His .530 slugging percentage still ranks third in franchise history. Allen accrued 37.7 of his 61.3 career WAR as a Phillie.
Before reaching the majors, Allen made history by integrating his minor-league team in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was often subjected to racism during his career and had frequent battles with the press, who often drew Allen's ire by calling him "Richie."
Allen, who won the 1972 American League MVP with the Chicago White Sox, was one vote short of getting elected into the Hall of Fame in 2015. His next chance to enter Cooperstown will come this December when he's eligible to appear on the Hall's Golden Era ballot.