Dick Allen (born March 8, 1942 in Wampum, Pennsylvania) is a former first and third baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball who was known as one of the sport's top power hitters of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Most notably playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox, he led the American League in home runs twice, and led both leagues in slugging average (the AL twice) and on base percentage. His .534 career slugging average was among the highest in an era marked by low averages. The 1964 National League Rookie of the Year and 1972 AL MVP, his mercurial personality led to a series of suspensions, fights and disputes which marred his career, and his uncertain and often disenterested defensive play led to his leading the league in errors four times - twice each at third and first base. His free-swinging batting style caused him to lead the NL in strikeouts in his first two seasons; he retired with the fifth most strikeouts in history. His older brother Hank was a reserve outfielder for three AL teams, and his younger brother Ron was briefly a first baseman with the 1972 St. Louis Cardinals.
