The Classic Baseball Era Committee elected Dick Allen and Dave Parker to the Hall of Fame.
Parker was named on 14 of 16 ballots and Allen on 13 of 16 ballots as the only candidates to meet the 75% threshold needed for election. Tommy John (seven votes, 43.8%) and Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris and Luis Tiant each received fewer than five votes.
Allen spent parts of 15 seasons in the majors, starting with the Phillies in 1963. During that decade and a half at baseball’s highest level, Allen slashed .292/.378/.534 with 351 home runs; 1,848 visits; 894 walks; more than 3,000 bases in total; and 133 stolen bases. He posted those numbers despite playing in one of the most pitcher-friendly eras in baseball history. Allen’s OPS+ of 156 is tied for ninth all-time in baseball’s integrated era (i.e., since 1947). Additionally, Allen has a career WAR of 58.7. Allen finished his career as a primary first baseman, but along the way he also spent significant time at third base and in left field.
In addition to winning the National League Rookie of the Year award with the Phillies in 1964, Allen was also a seven-time All-Star and received the American League Most Valuable Player award as a member of the Chicago White Sox in 1972. Before being elected to the House on Sunday, Allen had spent 14 years on the BBWAA ballot without coming close to the necessary 75 percent threshold, the last time in 1997. It was the seventh time Allen’s case was being reviewed. by a veterans or period committee. He narrowly missed elections when he came before the commission in 2022 and 2015.
Allen, who died in late 2020 at the age of 78, will be inducted posthumously.
“This is a great day for Dick Allen’s family, the Phillies, those who supported his candidacy and his teammates, including myself,” said Mike Schmidt, Allen’s Phillies teammate. from 1975 to 1976. a declaration. “I look forward to greeting the Allen family in Cooperstown this summer.”
Parker is a two-time batting title winner and two-time World Series champion, first with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979 and then with the Oakland A’s in 1990. Famous for his powerful throwing arm in right field, Parker won three Gold Gloves. This is in addition to his seven All-Star selections. Parker also won the NL MVP award in 1979. During his 19-year career, “Cobra” hit .290/.339/.471 (121 OPS+) with 339 home runs; 2,712 visits; 526 doubles; and nearly 1,500 RBIs. He finished with a WAR of 40.1.
Previously, he had only exceeded 20% twice in 15 years in the BBWAA vote. Parker also appeared on committee ballots in 2014, 2018 and 2020. He will be inducted into the Hall at age 74.
As a reminder, the Era Committee voted is separate from the BBWAA vote. The Era Committee vote was formerly known as the Veterans Committee and now goes through three different committees. The Classic Baseball Era Committee brings together players, managers, umpires and executives “whose primary contributions to the game occurred before 1980.” Last year it was the version of the contemporary baseball era (1980 to present) which includes non-players (executives, umpires, managers, etc.) and next year it will be the version players from this same era.
The committee meets each year during the winter meetings. A panel of 16 people vote and candidates must receive at least 12 votes to enter the Hall of Fame. This year’s panel included Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Lee Smith, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Joe Torre and Tony Pérez, executives Sandy Alderson, Terry McGuirk, Dayton Moore, Arte Moreno and Brian Sabean as well as media members/historians Bob Elliot, Leslie Heaphy, Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel and Larry Lester.
Allen and Parker will be inducted into the Hall in July in Cooperstown, alongside the BBWAA voting winners who will be announced in January. Among the candidates Included are newcomers Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia, as well as holdovers like Alex Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and many others.