Dick Allen, who died Monday at 78, was, by adjusted OPS, the 19th-best hitter all time. He was a seven-time All-Star and the 1972 AL MVP. He may still be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, where he belongs. But he will never get to enjoy the honor.
That was Linda Santo’s first thought when she heard that Allen was gone. She remembered the moment nine years ago when the family got the call her dad had longed for: Ron Santo had been elected to the Hall of Fame. The news came a year and two days after his death.