Mural honoring Phillies great Dick Allen to be unveiled in South Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — One of the greatest characters in Philadelphia sports history will soon count himself among the hundreds of notable figures celebrated through murals around the city.
On Thursday, Dec. 7 at 11 a.m., Mural Arts Philadelphia, city officials and the Philadelphia Phillies will unveil the design for a new mural honoring seven-time MLB All-Star Dick Allen.
Allen, who spent 15 seasons in the major leagues, played with the Phillies from 1963-1969, and then again between 1975-76. In 1964, he won National League Rookie of the Year, and holds the second-best slugging record in Phillies history, behind only Hall of Famer Chuck Klein.
In 2020, the team retired Allen’s No. 15, just months before he died at the age of 78. Thursday’s unveiling will mark the third anniversary of his passing.
The mural, designed by artist Ernel Martinez, will be located at 2221 South Broad Street, just about a mile and a half from Citizens Bank Park.
Among those scheduled to attend the unveiling are Allen’s sons Richard and Eron and his widow Willa Allen, who will all paint a piece of the mural, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy, who will serve as emcee for the event.
Mural Arts Philadelphia has not specified when the mural is expected to be completed.
Throughout his famed career, Allen, who played first base, third base and left field, was subjected to racism from fans and teammates.
“He was tormented and it came from all directions,” Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt said during Allen’s number retiring ceremony in Sept. 2022. “And Dick rebelled.”
Allen’s been considered for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame twice, but fell shy of votes both times.
When the Phillies retired his number, the team broke from a longstanding “unwritten” policy of only retiring numbers for players who are in the Hall of Fame.
In June, Philadelphia City Council member Kenyatta Johnson introduced a resolution calling for Allen to be elected as part of the class of 2027.
