Dick Allen Ready for Return to Sox Ballpark

June 19, 2012 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts while not wondering whether the Chicago Bears and Matt Forte reach a contract agreement:

* The Chicago White Sox may have problems — other than their 12-3 loss to the crosstown Cubs on Monday (June 18). Before the game, general manager Ken Williams said attendance at U.S. Cellular Field could affect being able (willing?) to make any trade deadline moves. The team is first in the American League Central and 27th in attendance among big-league baseball’s 30 teams. “I don’t want to expound because then I get buried because I’m crying about money and things,” he said. Which would seem seem to be what he exactly was doing.

Competitors at the NPC Junior Nationals Alexxa C (left) and Maria DiNello. You were expecting a photo of former White Sox slugger Dick Allen perhaps?

* Having Bryan LaHair play right field for the Cubs on Monday fueled speculation the team soon may call up highly prized first-base prospect Anthony Rizzo. All of which may not help the Cubs much this season, but if Rizzo can perform similarly to what he has been doing with the Class AAA Iowa Cubs, the big-league team will have a head start on its 2013 season. Well, at least in terms of a marketing plan.

* Former big-league pitcher Roger Clemens was found not guilty on all charges of obstructing and lying to Congress in denying he used performance-enhancing drugs during his career. So is not guilty the same as innocent? Not exactly. His victory in court may not extend to the court of public opinion — as in the voters for baseball’s Hall of Fame.

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Former big-league slugger Dick Allen is making a comeback with the White Sox. As in coming back to Chicago. He is to throw out the first pitch at the Sox-Milwaukee Brewers game Sunday (June 24) at U.S. Cellular Field. The first 10,000 youngsters 13 and under attending the game will receive replica jerseys of the 1972 Sox.

On the next night (Tuesday, June 25, for those of us who have difficulty with calendars), Allen and some of his ’72 Sox teammates will be at the Sox ballpark again, as the Chicago Baseball Museum honors the 40th anniversary of that squad. The CBM fund-raising dinner at the Stadium club that is to begin at 6.

“It was the best time of my baseball career,” Allen said of his three seasons with the Sox. “I still remember my White Sox teammates and our fans well. I appreciate the efforts of the Chicago Baseball Museum and look forward to spend time with so many great people again.”

Expected to attend with 1972 American League Most Valuable Player Allen are former players Tom Bradley, Rich Gossage, Bart Johnson, Jay Johnstone, Carlos May, Bill Melton, Ed Spiezio and former executive Roland Hemond.

“Whenever I speak with White Sox fans, it doesn’t take long before one of them mentions the 1972 team,” said Hemond, the ’72 Executive of the Year. “No one left a greater impression than Dick Allen with his clutch hits and long home runs. Along with Bill Melton, Wilbur Wood, manager Chuck Tanner and others, he turned many people into White Sox
fans forever.”

Information about sponsorship packages and tickets is available at Chicagobaseballmuseum.org.

Allen’s last Chicago public appearance after his retirement in 1977 was at SoxFest before the 2000
season. In 1972, Allen batted .308 with 37 home runs and a career-high 113 RBI. For his 15-year, big-league career (mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies and a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration), Allen had a .292 batting average with 351 homers.

“As much as any one person, Dick Allen was responsible for a turnaround at a crucial point in franchise history,” museum found and president Dr. David Fletcher said. “This promises to be one of the must-see baseball events of the year, and it wouldn’t have been complete without him.”

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The Dempster Family Foundation is to start the non-profit organization’s “Awareness Days” at the Midwest League All-Stars Fan Fest on Tuesday (June 19) frpm 11:30 a.m.-till the game’s start at 6 p.m. at the Kane County Cougars’ Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill. Cubs right-hander Ryan Dempster, whom the Cubs put in the 15-day disabled list on Monday, is a former Cougar.

The Dempster Family Foundation also will be at the Chicago Bandits’ Kids Day game Wednesday (July 20) at the Ballpark at Rosemont. The contest is to start at 11:35 a.m. and will featured several autographed Dempster prizes.

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* Speaking of Sox GM Williams (well, we were several paragraphs ago), here is a video from Nike promoting a 16-inch softball game featuring A.J. Pierzynski and Ryan Dempster as managers for a South Side vs. North Side affair Thursday (June 21) in Lincoln Park at 6 p.m.: