The Classic Baseball Era Committee has 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 reach the 75% threshold necessary for election. Coming up short were Tommy John (seven votes, 43.8%) and Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris, and Luis Tiant, who each received fewer than five votes.
Allen spent parts of 15 seasons in the majors, beginning with the Phillies in 1963. Across that decade and a half at the highest level of baseball, Allen slashed .292/.378/.534 with 351 home runs; 1,848 hits; 894 walks; more than 3,000 total bases; and 133 stolen bases. He put up 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). As well, Allen authored a career WAR of 58.7. Allen ended 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 National League Rookie of the Year honors with the Phillies in 1964, Allen was also a seven-time All-Star, and he was awarded the American League MVP as a member of the Chicago White Sox in 1972. Prior to being elected to the Hall on Sunday, Allen had spent 14 years on the BBWAA ballot without coming close to the necessary 75% threshold, most recently in 1997. This marked the seventh time Allen’s case was considered by a Veterans or Era Committee. He narrowly missed election when put before the committee in 2022 and 2015.
Allen, who died in late 2020 at the age of 78, will be inducted posthumously.
“It’s a great day for Dick Allen’s family, the Phillies, those who have been a part of supporting his candidacy, and his teammates, one of which I was lucky to be, Mike Schmidt, Allen’s Phillies teammate from 1975-76, said in a statement. “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. Famed for his powerful throwing arm in right field, Parker won three Gold Gloves. That’s in addition to his seven All-Star selections. Parker also won the NL MVP award in 1979. For his 19-year career, “Cobra” batted .290/.339/.471 (121 OPS+) with 339 home runs; 2,712 hits; 526 doubles; and almost 1,500 RBI. He ended with a WAR of 40.1.
Previously, he topped 20% just twice in 15 years on the BBWAA ballot. 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 vote is separate from the BBWAA vote. The Era Committee vote was formerly known as the Veterans Committee and now cycles through three different committees. The Classic Baseball Era Committee covers players, managers, umpires and executives “whose primary contribution to the game came prior to 1980.” Last year was the Contemporary Baseball Era (1980-present) version that includes non-players (executives, umpires, managers, etc.) and next year will be the player version of that same era.
The committee meets annually at the Winter Meetings. A 16-person panel votes and candidates need to get at least 12 votes to make the Hall of Fame. That panel this year featured 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 along with 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 winners of the BBWAA vote that will be announced in January. Among the candidates are newcomers Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia, as well as holdovers like Alex Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones and more.