Two Sluggers Headed to the Baseball Hall
COOPERSTOWN—Dick Allen, a seven-time All-Star and two-time home run champion, and Dave Parker, a two-time batting champion and the owner of two World Series rings, earned election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, December 8 via the Classic Baseball Era Committee process.
Allen and Parker were candidates on the Classic Baseball Era Committee Ballot, which was considered by a 16-member committee that held meetings on Sunday in Dallas.
Parker was named on 14 of 16 ballots and Allen on 13 of 16 ballots as the only candidates to reach the 75-percent threshold necessary for election.
Parker, who is 73, and Allen, who passed away in 2020, will be joined in the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 by any electees who emerge from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting, which will be announced on Tuesday, January 21.
Allen played 15 seasons for the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox, and Athletics, totaling 351 home runs and 1,119 RBI. He won the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award with the Phillies and was named the 1972 American League Most Valuable Player with the White Sox. He reached the 20-home run mark in nine straight seasons and 10 overall while leading his league in slugging percentage three times, extra base hits three times and on-base percentage twice.
(Photo courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
Parker was named to seven All-Star Games in his 19 seasons, winning back-to-back NL batting titles in 1977-78 while earning league MVP honors in the latter year. A key member of the Pirates World Series champions in 1979 and the Athletics World Series winners 10 years later, Parker led his league in total bases three times and slugging percentage twice. A three-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field, Parker won the 1979 All-Star Game MVP Award following a legendary exhibition of his throwing arm.
The seven players and one manager who comprised the Classic Baseball Era Committee ballot—Allen, Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris, Tommy John, Parker and Luis Tiant—were chosen from eligible player, manager, executive, and umpire candidates whose careers in baseball came primarily prior to 1980.
Hall of Fame Weekend 2025 will be held July 25-28 in Cooperstown, with the Induction Ceremony slated for Sunday, July 27.