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.