There is no greater honor in sports than for a team to retire a player’s number. The Philadelphia Phillies have just seven numbers retired, a relatively selective group considering it is one of the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball. One of their policies for this honor, however, needs to change.
In the 1990s, the Phillies made the decision that only Hall of Fame players can have their number retired. There has only been one exception, Dick Allen, in the three decades since. On the surface, it seems like a reasonable policy – if you’re good enough to be in the Hall, you’re good enough to have your number retired.