City and Phillies honor Dick Allen with UYA field dedication
The legacy of baseball great Dick Allen will continue for generations to come, thanks to the newly named Dick Allen Field at the Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy (UYA), as announced earlier today by the Phillies and City of Philadelphia during a field dedication ceremony at FDR Park in South Philadelphia.
¡°It is so important to the Phillies franchise, to Dick¡¯s family, and to our fans to honor the impact of Dick¡¯s legacy,¡± said Phillies Managing Partner and CEO John Middleton. ¡°Retiring his number and naming our field at FDR Park, the Dick Allen Field, is our way of thanking him for his talent, his presence and his lasting message of love, forgiveness and perseverance.¡±
¡°As a life-long Phillies fan, I¡¯m thrilled to memorialize the late, great Dick Allen,¡± said Mayor Jim Kenney. ¡°His story is the kind Philadelphians love ¨C one of great perseverance and personal triumph. I know his legacy will inspire generations of players to come.¡±
Widely regarded to be among the best in the region, Dick Allen Field will be utilized by Phillies RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) players and other youth baseball programs. Allen worked regularly with Phillies RBI players and the volunteer coaches at the UYA¡¯s neighboring Ashburn Field.
¡°It is truly a wonderful day to see this field named after one of the greatest Black players in Phillies history,¡± said Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (Second District), whose Council District includes FDR Park in South Philadelphia. ¡°I have witnessed, firsthand, how these fields have had a positive impact on Philadelphia¡¯s youth, but to now have Dick Allen¡¯s name attached to one of the fields is so meaningful. It will be a great reminder for our next generation of players of what he endured as an African-American player while still achieving great success. Dick Allen¡¯s legacy will never be forgotten.¡±
Also paying homage to Allen were several of his former teammates including Larry Bowa, Dave Cash, Garry Maddox and Rick Wise, as well as many of Allen¡¯s family members, including Allen¡¯s widow, Willa; son, Richard Jr.; and brothers, Hank and Ron.
The field dedication was held prior to tonight¡¯s Dick Allen On-Field Salute at Citizens Bank Park, taking place before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fans 15 and over will also receive a Johnson Controls Dick Allen Bobble Figurine.
¡°On behalf of my entire family, I would like to thank the Philadelphia Phillies organization for celebrating my father¡¯s legendary career,¡± said Richard Allen Jr. ¡°It is so wonderful we all get to honor him with fans in the ballpark. I know he would also be so humbled by the Phillies naming one of their Urban Youth Academy baseball fields after him. He loved to be engaged with young baseball players and would be thrilled knowing his name is attached to something so important.¡±
ABOUT THE LEGENDARY DICK ALLEN:
A seven-time All-Star, Dick Allen spent nine of his 15 major league seasons (1963-77) with the Phillies and won National League Rookie of the Year in 1964. During his time with the club, Allen batted .290 with 204 doubles, 204 home runs, 655 RBI, a .371 on-base percentage and a .530 slugging percentage (.902 OPS) in 1,070 games. His slugging percentage is second-best in Phillies history, behind only Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (.553), and he ranks 10th in home runs.
Allen, whose No. 15 has been retired by the club, became one of the all-time greats in Phillies history after being signed by the team in 1960 to his first professional contract. He joined the Phillies front office in 1994 as a fan development representative and, later, a club ambassador.
Allen passed away on December 7, 2020, at the age of 78.
ABOUT THE PHILLIES MLB URBAN YOUTH ACADEMY:
World-class indoor and outdoor facilities
The multi-site Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy is comprised of both outdoor and indoor facilities to provide free year-round instruction to the more than 6,000 Phillies RBI players in Philadelphia. The UYA also supports the Anderson Monarchs youth baseball program.
The Ryan Howard Training Center at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center in South Philadelphia is a 7,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility which includes four retractable batting cages similar to those at the Phillies minor league spring training site in Clearwater, Fla.
The center also includes space for fitness training and educational and vocational programs. In addition to this facility, the academy consists of an outdoor location at FDR Park with two baseball fields and two softball fields.