Forgotten Superstars: Dick Allen

Since today is a slow news day, I decided to start a recurring feature called Forgotten Superstars.
Let me know what you think about this series.
If it is well-liked, it is perfect for slow days and might spark discussion among the 4 people that read this thing!

I will start with one of my all-time favorites-  Dick Allen.
Allen was the power-hitting multi-positional star for many teams, but most notably the Phillies and White Sox.
In many ways-Dick Allen was a product of his time, being perhaps the 1st player to want to be left alone to play without the structure that the game was known for at that time.
Allen was a player that preferred to put the numbers up and then deal with the press, managers, etc.

Looking at Allen's career numbers, you could make an argument that he might be, along with Jim Rice and Ron Santo, the best non-hall of fame eligible player not in the Hall.

Allen would likely bristle at being mentioned with Santo, as the two feuded during their one season together as teammates with the Pale Hose in 1975.
Dick Allen's OPS from his rookie year of 1964 to his last full season of 1974 ranged from .1.027 to a low of .863.
This is while playing in the best era of pitching talent ever in the 1960s.
Even Allen's last two seasons (a return to Philadelphia) were certainly serviceable ones for its time when you consider the era he was playing in.

What is the case against Dick Allen?
IMO-because he retired early, he did not roll the automatic entry numbers needed to help him into the HOF.
Dick finished at 351 homers, had he played another 2 or 3 years as a DH (easily attainable), he hits the 400 homers mark.
At that time, he likely gets in, as 400 HRS was a benchmark at that time.
In a case similar to that of  Al Oliver (Forgotten Superstar coming soon), who retired 200 hits short of 3000 hits, if he gets those, he is going to Cooperstown.

I find it amazing that the most votes that Allen ever received for the Hall were just 89 (19 %) in 1996.
Allen won the NL Rookie of the year in 1964 by carrying the Phillies to the near-pennant (along with Johnny Callison) in the "year of the Blue Snow" and grabbed the AL MVP in 1972 for tossing the sad-sack Chi-Sox on his back and giving the powerhouse (Eventual World Champion)Oakland A's all they could handle.
Check this roster out and tell me how they finished only a few games back of the A's?

Here is a link to Allen's official HOF page as a candidate on the Veterans Committee.

All in all, even if you do not find Allen worthy of the Hall. Allen certainly qualifies as a Forgotten Superstar.

You can try a copy of Allen's biography Crash.
It can be found on Ebay or Amazon, Cherie bought me my copy years ago. 

Photo Credit-Sports Illustrated