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Baseball Hall of Fame Cap Logo Choices Announced, with Two Surprises

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This year’s inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame have made their cap logo choices for their plaques. Or, more accurately, four of the inductees have made their choices. For a fifth inductee who is deceased, the choice was made by his family.

In case you somehow missed it, Dick Allen, who passed away in 2020, and Dave Parker were elected by the Classic Era Committee last December. In January, the Baseball Writers Association of America voted to admit CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, and Billy Wagner.

Two Surprises as 2025 Hall of Fame Cap Logo Choices Announced

The choices of Sabathia (New York Yankees), Suzuki (Seattle Mariners), and Wagner (Houston Astros) are no surprise. That the plaques of Allen and Parker will bear the cap logos representing cities with which they had tumultuous relationships, however, may strike some as rather astonishing.

 

 

The Phillies Chosen for Allen

Allen played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1963-69, 1975-76), St. Louis Cardinals (1970), Los Angeles Dodgers (1971), Chicago White Sox (1972-74), and Oakland Athletics (1977). He didn’t always have the best relationship with the Phillies front office and the fans and media of Philadelphia. Thus, the choice of the Phillies cap logo for his Hall of Fame plaque comes as a surprise.

“What’s the Good of a .220 Hitter Who Obeys the Curfew?”

Allen was ahead of his time in that he resented the control the owners had over the players. Right from the start in Philadelphia, he did everything his way. He was late for games and even missed some, and disliked being bothered by fans and reporters. Often, he eschewed batting practice because he felt he couldn’t get ready for a game with the media on the field, distracting him. But Allen produced, and thus, had his share of supporters and detractors. As Jim Bouton wrote in Ball Four, “I mean what’s the good of a .220 hitter who obeys the curfew? Richie Allen [as he was known in the beginning, thanks to the Phillies publicity department] doesn’t obey the rules, hits 35 home runs and knocks in over 100 [runs].”

There was the widely reported incident with Frank Thomas, Allen’s teammate in 1965. Accounts differ but this much is clear. Thomas, a known agitator, went too far with some insults directed at Allen during batting practice. Allen punched Thomas first, Thomas struck Allen with his bat, and eventually, Allen had Thomas on the ground and had to be pulled off. Thomas was immediately placed on waivers, while manager Gene Mauch threatened Allen with a fine if he discussed the incident. Unfortunately, Thomas was under no such restrictions and made Allen out to be the bad guy.

Then there was Allen’s refusal to play in an exhibition game in Reading in 1969. Although Allen eventually relented, that was after manager Bob Skinner resigned after the Phillies front office didn’t back him up. Allen resented how the Phillies handled each incident. Meanwhile, with each one, the boos rained down harder from the stands in Philadelphia’s Connie Mack Stadium.

Why Not the White Sox for Allen’s Hall of Fame Cap Logo?

Allen decided he wanted out of Philadelphia. Finally, the Phillies obliged, but it didn’t work out for Allen in St. Louis and Los Angeles. Allen was somebody who had his own set of friends away from the ballpark. The Cardinals wanted him to attend team functions. The Dodgers wanted him to be active in the community. When Allen fell short in those areas, he lasted one year at each spot.

Although he would return to play for Philadelphia, it was with the White Sox where he found his baseball home. Manager Chuck Tanner subscribed to Bouton’s theory: Let Allen do what he wants, keep him happy, and he’ll produce. From here on, Allen would be known by his preferred name of “Dick,” by which he was known back home in Wampum, Pennsylvania, a working man’s town 41 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. (It seemed that “Richie” and “Dick” were two different people. Richie was the kid with the crew cut. Dick was the cool dude with the groovy wire-rimmed glasses, mustache, and long sideburns.) Tanner’s approach worked. In 1972 with the White Sox, Allen hit .308/.420/.603, 37 HR (including the renowned “chili dog home run”), and 113 RBI while winning the American League Most Valuable Award.

 

In his three years with Chicago, Allen hit .307/.398/.589, won two AL home run titles, was an All-Star each year, and produced 15.4 WAR. That his Hall of Fame plaque won’t bear the cap logo of the team where he enjoyed his best years is a surprise to this writer.

Parker Chooses the Pirates

Meanwhile, Parker’s choice was the Pirates cap logo. In 11 years as a Pirate, Parker hit .305/.353/.494, 166 HR, and 758 RBI. However, those numbers are skewed by a decline in his later years and don’t begin to tell the story. A deadly combination of speed and power, he was the best all-around player in baseball from 1975-79. During those years, he hit .321/.377/.532, 114 HR, and 490 RBI while stealing 84 bases. He won the National League batting title in 1977 and 1978. The big right fielder won the Gold Glove Award every year from 1977-79. For that, he earned a five-year, $5 million contract from the Pirates to start the 1979 season.

That’s when his relationship with Pirates fans deteriorated. The steel mills were closing in Pittsburgh. People struggled and couldn’t relate to a baseball player making $1 million per year. More specifically (and sadly), they couldn’t relate to a Black baseball player making $1 million per year. Parker’s flamboyancy only irritated the fan base. Fans booed him and threw objects (including a nine-volt battery) at him. Typical was a May 29, 1984, letter to The Pittsburgh Press sports page, where the writer attempted to explain why Parker drew more boos than the disappointing Jason Thompson while revealing his own hang-ups with racial stereotypes: “Thompson does not wear earrings, catch fly balls arrogantly or constantly complain about everything from money to fan criticism.” (There is no record of Parker ever complaining about money while playing for Pittsburgh.)

The Departure and the Return

Parker left Pittsburgh to play for his hometown Reds after the 1983 season. Even then, he couldn’t escape controversy in Pittsburgh. He became involved in the baseball cocaine scandal of 1985. Testifying in court about why he kicked the habit, Parker said, “I felt my game was slipping. I felt [cocaine] had played some part of it and I went through the entire ’83 season without using it.”

The Pirates ownership group, a conglomerate of corporations, seized on Parker’s testimony and sued him for breach of contract to get out of making deferred payments owed under his contract. It seemed like the relationship was irreparable. Then in 1996, Kevin McClatchy’s group bought the Pirates. McClatchy reached out to the retired Parker and asked him to return to the Pirates family.

Since then, Parker has returned to Pittsburgh for reunions of the 1979 World Series champions and his induction into the Pirates Hall of Fame. His book, Cobra! is largely devoted to his time with the Pirates. He could have chosen his hometown Reds or the Athletics, where he won a second World Series, for his Hall of Fame cap logo. That he chose the Pirates logo may not be such a big shock. In any event, Pirates fans should be pleased by this latest affirmation. Parker’s embrace of Pittsburgh is genuine and will be permanently commemorated on his plaque.

Main Photo Credits: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

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