The Philly Fifty: #47 Dick “Richie” Allen, Phillies

“Allen was scary at the plate. When he came up there, he had your attention. I want to forget a couple of line drives he hit off me, but I can’t because they almost killed me.” — Mickey Lolich “Dick Allen hit a ball harder than any player I’ve ever seen”  — Willie Mays (paraphrased) “I’ll play first, third, left. I’ll play anywhere — except Philadelphia.”  — Dick Allen, The Sporting News, April 1970 Longevity – 3 Allen played the first 6 years of his career in Philadelphia (7 if you count his cup of coffee in 1963) and the returned in the twilight for another 2-year stint. Peak – 4 Allen’s best year came in 1966, landing him 10th on my top-20 individual Phillies’ seasons. To steal from that post… Allen led the NL in OPS and SLG% that season, while posting the highest OPS+ of any full season in Phillies history. He finished 4th in the MVP voting, behind only Willie Mays among hitters. He joined Hank ...