Phillies to retire Dick Allen's #15

From the Phillies

The Phillies will bestow the highest honor a club can confer upon a former player by retiring Dick Allen’s No. 15, Managing Partner John Middleton announced today. The ceremony will take place on September 3, 2020, the 57th anniversary of Allen’s major league debut with the Phillies. The organization will also honor Allen next season when fans will be in attendance and can properly salute his storied career.

“Dick Allen burst onto the 1964 Phillies and immediately established himself as a superstar. His legendary performance on the field gave millions of fans lasting memories, and he helped cement my love for baseball and the Phillies as a young boy,” said Middleton. “The Phillies organization is thrilled to give Dick and his family this honor that recognizes his Hall of Fame-worthy career and his legacy as one of the greatest Phillies of all time.”

Allen, 78, 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 led his league in OPS four times in his career, including twice with the Phillies in 1966 (1.027) and 1967 (.970).

One of the premier sluggers of his era, Allen had the fifth-most home runs (319) among all major league players over an 11-year span (1964-74) behind four Hall of Famers: Hank Aaron (391), Harmon Killebrew (336), Willie Stargell (335) and Willie McCovey (327). Also during that time, his combined .940 OPS was second best, narrowly trailing Aaron (.941). Finally, over those 11 years, his cumulative WAR of 58.3 was tied for the sixth-highest among all players, including 37 Hall of Famers to play in that time span. Allen twice led the American League in home runs, including the 1972 season when he was named MVP after hitting .308 with 37 home runs, 113 RBI, 99 walks, a .420 on-base percentage and a 1.023 OPS. His only postseason appearance came in 1976, when he made three starts for the Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

A seven-time All-Star (1965-67; 1970; 1972-74), Allen played nearly every position on the field during his career but is widely known as a first and third baseman. In addition to his time with the Phillies (1963-69; 1975-76), he donned a major league uniform for the St. Louis Cardinals (1970), Los Angeles Dodgers (1971), Chicago White Sox (1972-74) and Oakland A’s (1977).

Allen 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 representative and, later, a club ambassador.

Allen joins Hall of Famers Richie Ashburn (1), Jim Bunning (14), Mike Schmidt (20), Steve Carlton (32), Roy Halladay (34) and Robin Roberts (36) as the only Phillies in team history to have their numbers retired. Allen was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1994.

REFLECTIONS ON DICK ALLEN’S CAREER

(Courtesy of Tollin Productions)

“[Dick] was a fine ball player. He did some great things and hit the ball much further than I did. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

-Hank Aaron, HOF

“I had the pleasure and the privilege of being Dick Allen’s teammate my rookie season. Knowing what he did, and what he accomplished in his career, the greatest player I ever saw play was Dick Allen. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”

-Goose Gossage, HOF

“[Dick] could hit the ball farther than anybody that I’ve seen. He was, and still is, a Hall of Famer as far as I’m concerned.”

-Willie Mays, HOF

“Everyone who ever played with or against Dick would say that he was one of the most talented, intimidating and smart five-tool players in baseball history. You can compare him as a hitter to Hank Aaron. In his prime, Dick might have been more feared, more dynamic and stronger than Hank. On a personal level, Dick and I became good friends, and he helped me become a better player, as he did many of my teammates."

-Mike Schmidt, HOF

“There is nobody who played the game better than Dick Allen. He could run the bases, hit for power, knock in the winning run. He did everything that you could ask from the guy. He was the leader of our team on the field and in the clubhouse. He helped the young guys and improved the old guys, and he was so intelligent. Dick Allen belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

-Chuck Tanner, Manager White Sox

“[Dick] had special talent. He was a student of the game. He knew his abilities were special. There is no question that he was an impact player, and when you were on the other side of the field, he frightened you. He was a game breaker and certainly could elevate a team to another level.”

-Joe Torre, HOF

“The only person in the entire history of the game who may have had an edge on Dick Allen for pure power is Babe Ruth.”

-Bill Jenkinson, Baseball Hall of Fame Historian

“If you look at his numbers, [Dick] was probably one of the most feared hitters when he played. He dominated when he went out there. You ask any pitcher from that era, they didn’t want to face him. He was in an elite class.”

-Larry Bowa, Phillies Teammate

“Dick made it very clear when he first stepped in that locker room in 1975 that he was there to help our ball club win. He wanted to help us get to the World Series.”

-Greg Luzinski, Phillies Teammate

“Dick played the game like it is supposed to be played. He played the game right. He played the game hard. I used to say to him, ‘God gave you that gift that you have. What you do is a gift from God.’”

-Tony Taylor, Phillies Teammate 

Golden Era Ballot

It has been a long time since I have posted anything here, but I wanted to celebrate some BIG NEWS!

Yesterday, our man Dick Allen was selected to the 2014 Golden Era Committee ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The is an important step and marks the first time his Hall of Fame credentials will actually be debated on a national level.

Huge props to our friend Mark "Frog" Carfagno for his relentless and passionate support for Dick. Without him, this day may have never come. If you have not already visited and "liked" the Facebook group DICK ALLEN BELONGS IN THE HALL OF FAME! -- you should do so.

The final step belongs to the 16-person Golden Era Committee, which consists of Hall of Famers Jim Bunning, Rod Carew, Pat Gillick, Ferguson Jenkins, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Ozzie Smith and Don Sutton; baseball executives Jim Frey, David Glass, Roland Hemond and Bob Watson; and veteran media members Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel, Phil Pepe and Tracy Ringolsby.

The Golden Era Committee will review and vote on the Hall of Fame candidates at the Winter Meetings in December. Dick needs at least 12 votes to be inducted.

CBS: The 'All-Not in the Hall' Team

Original story from January 2013: CBSSports.com created an lineup of "the best players not in the Hall of Fame who have already had their cases evaluated by the BBWAA"

Catcher: Ted Simmons

First base: Dick Allen

Second base: Lou Whitaker

Shortstop: Bill Dahlen

Third base: Ken Boyer

Outfield: Reggie Smith

Outfield: Albert Belle

Outfield: Minnie Minoso

Starting pitcher: Luis Tiant

Relief pitcher: Dan Quisenberry

Here is the portion of the story I care about:

1B - Dick Allen; Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox, A's; 1963-77
Hall of Fame balloting history: Fell off after 14 years, peaked at 18.9 percent in 1996.
Stats: .292/.378/.534; 1,848 H; 351 HR; 156 OPS+; 55.6 WAR
Allen was nothing if not a fount of controversy. A product of small-town Pennsylvania who was unaccustomed to outward displays of racial hostility, Allen was scarred by his experiences as the first black ballplayer in Civil Rights-era Little Rock and by the charged climate in Philadelphia during his rookie season of 1964. Those struggles don't explain away all of his misdeeds, but Allen's environment must be considered before you condemn him. His bat, though, was something to behold. Most impressive is that OPS+ of 156, which is good for 19th place on the all-time list. When finally paired with a manager who knew how to handle him (Chuck Tanner in 1972), Allen won the MVP. 

Happy Birthday Pete Rose

Pete Rose turned 72 yesterday. Happy Birthday to the all-time hit king. Hopefully one day soon baseball can celebrate Pete's career with an overdue induction to the Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday Whitey!

Born in Tilden, Nebraska on this day in 1927... Don Richard Ashburn.

On this day... Dallas Green steals Sandberg

On this day in 1982 the Phillies made one of the worst trades in club history. The deal was engineered by former Phillies manager Dallas Green, who had recently left Philadelphia to become the General Manager of the Chicago Cubs.

The Phils were in the middle of a general dismantling of the team that won the 1980 World Series. The off-season following the 1981 strike and playoff loss to the Montreal Expos was very busy... as the club traded Lonnie Smith, Bake McBride, Bob Boone, Keith Moreland, Dickie Noles and Larry Bowa.

Bowa, whose best days were behind him, was in the middle of a contract dispute that angered owner Bill Giles. Rather than negotiate with Bowa, he was sent to the Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus. At the time, the trade seemed like a good deal for both teams. The Cubs needed Bowa's veteran leadership and the younger DeJesus  had more range, and a cannon of an arm. Despite his lack of offense, he fit the needs of a contending team like the Phillies.

From the book Almost A Dynasty by William C Kashatus:

Sandberg was a "throw in" in the deal. He had only played 13 games for the Phillies in 1981 and hit an unimpressive .167. Nor did he fit into the team's immediate plans. "The Phillies knew they weren't going to win another championship without a proven shortstop and that shortstop wasn't going to be Larry Bowa because of his bitching with Bill Giles" said Green, downplaying the notion that he fleeced his former employers. "Ivan DeJesus was a proven - and marketable - shortstop. At first the Phillies tried to keep Ryne Sanberg from us. But I insisted on him if was going to make the deal. I think the Phillies knew Ryne was a good athlete. They just had no place for him for two or three years. They were going for a pennant and there was some skepticism he could play shortstop in the majors. Schmidt was at third. I always thought Ryne could play center field, but Maddox was there. The Phillies never really thought of him as a second baseman, and besides, Trillo was already there."

Ryne Sandberg went on to become the finest second baseman of his generation. In Chicago became the face of the Cubs franchise after he won an MVP and nine Gold Gloves, made ten All Star teams and hit 282 HRs. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Ironically, DeJesus did something Sandberg never could... playing in the World Series after the Phillies won the 1983 NL pennant. He was traded the Cardinals in 1985.

Earl Weaver & Stan Musial

Tough day for baseball yesterday

Earl Weaver 1930 - 2013

Stan Musial 1920 - 2013

DAHoF Infographic #3: On-Base Plus Slugging

DAHoF Infographic #2: LugNut

I think it is time for Bill James to apologize to Dick Allen.

Picking up the Hall of Fame campaign

The ballot for the 2013 Hall of Fame class has been distributed to the members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The announcement of the new inductees will be made on January 9th. It will be very interesting to see how many votes Barry Bonds receives.

My man Dick Allen is not eligible again until 2014, when the Golden Era Committee takes another look at his era (1947-1972). The process to consider candidates by era repeats on a three-year cycle.

The first step will be for Dick to be added to the actual Golden Era ballot. Last year he missed on this all important first step. The Golden Era ballot was devised by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America appointed Historical Overview Committee, comprised of 11 members, which screen all eligible candidates to develop the final 10-name ballot.

This morning, while looking through the recent posts at the always impressive FLIP FLOP FLY BALL -- I decided to take a stab a creating a set of infographics supporting Dick's Hall of Fame case.

Feel free to send this to any of the members of the Historical Overview Committee you might know: Dave Van Dyck (Chicago Tribune), Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun), Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), Steve Hirdt (Elias Sports Bureau), Bill Madden (New York Daily News), Ken Nigro (formerly Baltimore Sun), Jack O’Connell (BBWAA secretary/treasurer), Tracy Ringolsby (FSN Rocky Mountain), Glenn Schwarz (formerly San Francisco Chronicle), Claire Smith (ESPN) and Mark Whicker (Orange County Register).

Induction Weekend

Congratulations to former Michigan Wolverine All American Barry Larkin on his well deserved induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

1974 Topps Horizontal template here

Leaders and Best.

Greatest Non-Hall of Famers

In the process of cleaning up some things from the DVR and discovered a previously recorded show from MLB Network: Top 40 Countdown of the "Greatest Non-Hall of Famers". Interesting list, neither Bagwell or Belle were caught or admitted they used PEDs but both are suspected given the era they played in, their associations, unnatural body changes, and of course... eye-popping numbers. That being said; three players on this list are confirmed PED users. I am not sure I would hold my breath for McGwire, Palmeiro, or Juan Gonzalez. The writers and current Hall of Famers are not going to be very forgiving.

Dick Allen checks in at #9. Here is DA's segment:

The entire Top 40 list looks like this:

1. Tim Raines 2. Jack Morris 3. Mark McGwire 4. Minnie Minoso 5. Jeff Bagwell 6. Lee Smith 7. Alan Trammell 8. Ted Simmons 9. Dick Allen 10. Jim Kaat

11. Luis Tiant 12. Dale Murphy 13. Ken Boyer 14. Joe Torre 15. Dwight Evans 16. Rafael Palmeiro 17. Steve Garvey 18. Gil Hodges 19. Don Mattingly 20. Keith Hernandez

21. Edgar Martinez 22. Tommy John 23. Lou Whitaker 24. Larry Walker 25. Will Clark 26. Tony Oliva 27. Dave Parker 28. Ron Guidry 29. Maury Wills 30. Buck O'Neil

31. Albert Belle 32. Dave Concepcion 33. Juan Gonzalez 34. Jimmy Wynn 35. Bill Freehan 36. Bobby Grich 37. Harold Baines 38. Fred McGriff 39. Mark Grace 40. Roger Maris

On This Day... All Star Home Run Derby

July 13, 1971. Detroit's Tiger Stadium: In an All Star game featuring six home runs, highlighted by a young Reggie Jackson blasting a Dock Ellis fourth inning pitch off the power generator located on top of Tiger Stadium right-field roof 520 feet from home plate, the American League beats the NL, 6-4. All the players who homer, Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew as well as Reggie, will eventually become members of the Hall of Fame.

On This Day... Chuck Klein x4

July 10, 1936. Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. 36 year old Chuck Klein becomes the first national League player in the 20th century to hit four home runs in one game.

Chuck started the day with a 1st inning three-run homer off Pirate starter Jim Weaver. With a little more wind, Chuck would have had 5 home runs because when he next came to the plate in the 2nd inning, he drove a long, high fly ball toward the right-field wall. But the ball came to rest in the glove of Paul Waner, whose back was to the wall as he made the catch.

In his next three at-bats, Klein blasted three more solo shots, one off Weaver in the fifth, another in the seventh inning against Mace Brown, and the last off reliever Bill Swift in the tenth to help the Phillies pull out a 9-6 victory.

In his 17-year big league career Klein batted .320, with 398 doubles, 1,201 runs batted in, 1,168 runs, 2,076 hits (870 extra-bases), and 300 home runs. He retired in 1944 and like many ballplayers of his era, he died young (age 53) in 1958.

As they have for all of their Hall of Famers, the Phillies have honored Chuck Klein with a "retired" uniform. The confusion exists because Phillies didn't begin using numbers until 1932. Klein wore some of the most famous numbers in Phillies history. He wore #3 in 1932 and 1933 before he was then traded to the Chicago Cubs. When he returned to the Phillies in 1936, he initially wore #32 (later retired for Steve Carlton), but soon switched to #36 (later retired for Robin Roberts). In 1938 he wore number #1 (later retired for Richie Ashburn), and #26 (Chase Utley). In 1939 he donned #14 (later retired for Jim Bunning and worn by Pete Rose). In 1940-41 he wore #29 (John Kruk before he sold it to Mitch Williams for a case of beer) and switched back to #3 in 1942. In 1943 he grabbed #8 (Tony Taylor, Bob Boone, Joe Morgan, Juan Samuel and currently Shane Victorino) and back to #26 (Utley) again in 1944, his last major league season.

Personally, I would have just retired #3 and called it a day. But, as they did for Grover Cleveland Alexander (another pre-numbers Hall of Famer) the Phillies simply retired a "P" for him. After years of lobbying for his entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame, The Veterans Committee finally voted him in 1980.

Klein is one of only 16 players in baseball history to blast four round trippers in one game. He stands with fellow Hall of Famers Ed Delahanty and Mike Schmidt as Phillies to accomplish the rare feat.

Player	Date	Team	Opponent
Bobby Lowe	May 30, 1894	Boston Beaneaters	Cincinnati Reds
Ed Delahanty	July 13, 1896	Philadelphia Phillies	Chicago Colts
Lou Gehrig	June 3, 1932	New York Yankees	Philadelphia Athletics
Chuck Klein	July 10, 1936	Philadelphia Phillies	Pittsburgh Pirates
Pat Seerey	July 18, 1948	Chicago White Sox	Philadelphia Athletics
Gil Hodges	August 31, 1950	Brooklyn Dodgers	Boston Braves
Joe Adcock	July 31, 1954	Milwaukee Braves	Brooklyn Dodgers
Rocky Colavito	June 10, 1959	Cleveland Indians	Baltimore Orioles
Willie Mays	April 30, 1961	San Francisco Giants	Milwaukee Braves
Mike Schmidt	April 17, 1976	Philadelphia Phillies	Chicago Cubs
Bob Horner	July 6, 1986	Atlanta Braves	Montreal Expos
Mark Whiten	September 7, 1993	St. Louis Cardinals	Cincinnati Reds
Mike Cameron	May 2, 2002	Seattle Mariners	Chicago White Sox
Shawn Green	May 23, 2002	Los Angeles Dodgers	Milwaukee Brewers
Carlos Delgado	September 25, 2003	Toronto Blue Jays	Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Josh Hamilton	May 8, 2012	Texas Rangers	Baltimore Orioles

DAHOF Top 100 -- #30 Andre Dawson

All you ever wanted to know about Andre Dawson is in his Hall of Fame speech from July 2010:

I didn't play this game with this goal in my mind, but I'm living proof that if you love this game, the game will love you back.

And I am proof that any young person who can hear my voice right now can be standing here, as I am. Like most of us up here, by the age of eight, I was using a busted broom handle for a bat and using rocks as a ball and by then I knew I was born to play this game. I dabbled in other sports, sure -- my knees are proof of that -- but baseball was my love. And baseball is where I belonged. And I found out quickly that if you love this game, the game will love you back.

It's still a great game, too. It bothers me when I hear people knock the game. There's nothing wrong with the game of baseball. Baseball will from time to time, and like anything else in life, fall victim to the mistakes that people make. It's not pleasant and it's not right. Those mistakes have hurt the game and taken a toll on all of us. Individuals have chosen the wrong road and have chosen that as their legacy. Others still have a chance to choose theirs. Do not be lured to the dark side. It's a stain on the game, a stain gradually being removed.

But that's the people, not the game. There's nothing wrong with the game. Never has been. I think people just forget why we ever got involved in the game in the first place. When we were nine and ten years old, we just loved playing the game. What we found was that if you put your heart into this game, if you love this game, the game will love you back.

That's why I made it here and anyone who can hear my voice right now can be standing here, as I am.

Look at me and these incredible men who make up the Hall of Fame. They are proof of that. There are many of us up here who had nothing, who came from nothing, who wondered if nothing was all there ever was. But look at us. There is hope. But you can't get here by skipping school or disrespecting your parents or your teachers or your coaches.

And you can't get here by dropping out of society. You can't get here if you believe you have nothing to lose out on the streets. You have everything to lose. But in this game you have everything to gain. A lot of kids feel abandoned, and I understand that. Some of us know what that feels like. It's a tough road and it's unfair. But feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to save you. Baseball can. Baseball can be your salvation. I am proof of that. And if you can hear my voice today, you can stand here, just as I am today.

As my grandmother used to say, "Take God with you. Get on your knees and believe it. Be thankful of the blessings before you receive them. If you can get left behind or you can get on board."

Love this game and the game will love you back.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #65 Rich Gossage

In 2008 Rich Gossage was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He earned his place in Cooperstown by pioneering the role and persona of the modern day closer.

During his 22-year baseball career he pitched for nine different teams, begining his career with the White Sox, establishing his star with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres, and holding on with several other clubs including a season in Japan. When he retired he ranked third in major league history in career games pitched (1,002), third in wins in relief (115) and innings pitched in relief (1,556⅔); his 1,502 strikeouts place him second behind Hoyt Wilhelm among pitchers who primarily pitched in relief. Proving once again, baseball is a game of failure, Goose is also the career leader in blown saves (112).

During his Hall of Fame induction speech Goose Gossage said this:

In 1972, I had the privilege of playing with Dick Allen. I didn't know it at the time, but in retrospect, he was the greatest player I ever played with. That's quite a statement because I played with a lot of great ones. He taught me how to pitch from a hitter's perspective. He took me under his wing and we would talk for hours on end about pitching. It was amazing.

I will end my post about Goose Gossage right there.

Happy Steve Carlton Day

Obviously, I'd like to extend my sincere best wishes to the Baseball Writers' of America for voting me into the Hall of Fame, my first year of eligibility especially. Actually being voted into the Hall of Fame of baseball by the writers is like Rush Limbaugh being voted in by the Clintons, so... I'll take it as a compliment.

Ron Santo, Hall of Famer

Congrats to the late Ron Santo on his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Regardless of my personal views or opinions about his worthiness compared to others on the outside looking in - tonight, I can honestly say I am glad to see the man finally made it into the exclusive and confusing club.

The Baseball Hall of Fame should be about your career accomplishments on the field -- Ron Santo has long been deserving of recognition for what he did as a ballplayer. I hope his entry opens to door for others that may have not been given full or fair consideration in the past. It is a shame the HoF committee did not see fit to recognize him while he was still alive.

Snubbed once again

Last week the National Baseball Hall of Fame released the latest "Golden Era Ballot" calling out eight former players and two former team execs from 1947-’72 era to be considered at winter meetings on December 5th.

Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Allie Reynolds, Ron Santo and Luis Tiant were the former players named while Buzzie Bavasi and Charlie Finley were included for their contributions as executives. Each candidate is now has a "second chance" and is eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2012. Kaat, Minoso, Oliva and Tiant are the only nominees still living.

From this point, any of these candidates that receives 12 votes (75%) from the 16 member Golden Era Committee (members include Hank Aaron, Juan Marichal, and DA's former White Sox GM Roland Hemond) will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I have no issues with any of the nominees listed above and under consideration. Each of them were wonderful players and strong executives. Reading through their very impressive resumes warms my heart and reminds me I fell in love with this game during a great era. My intent is not to argue against or prevent someone from appropriately getting recognized.

I only wish everyone involved in this "process" had the same intent.

My issue is there is one name conspicuously missing from this list. The name is Dick Allen. Despite being a seven time all star and one of the most dominant hitters in baseball during his 15-year career. Despite leading the league home runs twice, on-base percentage twice, slugging percentage three times, and OPS+ three times. Despite hitting 351 career home runs and driving in 1119 runs in an era notably dominated by pitching. Despite winning the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1972. Despite the fact he a career 156 OPS+ ranking him 19th all-time, ahead of Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, and Mel Ott. The committee decided to leave him off the list of players that should be considered. Amazing.

If find it interesting, the nominating committee charge with determining the "golden ballot" choices is comprised of 11 veteran sportswriters. Sportswriters. This is the same pack of wolves that fanned the flames of racist hatred in Philly in the 1960s. This is the same group that ensnared Dick Allen in controversy after controversy during his playing years. This is the same group of folks that utterly failed to recognize him during his past Hall of Fame opportunities. During the 15 years on the "regular ballot" Dick Allen never received more than 18.9 percent in a given year. Shameful.

At this point, I think the only way that Dick Allen is ever going to get elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame is if the voting process (from start to finish) falls into the hands of living Hall of Famers. It is only going to happen if he can judged and elected by the players he played with and against. Only then will his accomplishments on the field be more important than any myth, any reputation or any of the things written about him outside the lines.

On this day.... Frank Robinson hits #500

September 13th, 1971. Today is the 40th anniversary of Frank Robinson slugging his way into what was once some pretty elite company.

After connecting for career home run #499 earlier in Game one of a doubleheader, Orioles right fielder Frank Robinson takes a ninth inning Fred Scherman offering deep into the night of Baltimore's Memorial Stadium left field bleachers for #500. It doesn't make a difference, because the Tigers win this contest 10-5.

Here is a great article written by the then 21 year old kid that caught the ball "on the fly". You don't need much more than this to show you things were simpler back in 1971.

At the time of his 500th bomb - Frank was only the 11th member of the club. Today the group has literally exploded with 25 current or former players claiming more than 500 home runs. Ten of those players joined the club from 1999 to 2009 -- calling into question what was once considered to be an automatic ticket into Cooperstown. Currently only confirmed PED users Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro are the only eligible 500 HR Club members that have not been elected to the Hall. Rest assured that "on the outside looking in" list will grow in the near future as Bonds, ARod, Sosa, Manny, and Sheffield all become eligible.

Here is a cool AP article about Frank's 500th HR, including a definitive statement about his desire to become a big league manager.