Overview

• On July 27 in Cooperstown, the Classic Baseball Era Committee’s December vote culminated in Allen’s formal enshrinement after he missed election by one vote in both 2014 and 2021
• Mike Schmidt highlighted Allen’s hallmarks — 351 home runs, a seven-time All-Star career and a .912 OPS — and said voters reexamined negative labels that once overshadowed his achievements
• John Middleton recounted Allen’s post-retirement journey of nationwide atonement, describing how the slugger sought and offered forgiveness as part of his personal redemption
• The Phillies broke tradition by retiring Allen’s No. 15 in 2020, an organizational gesture that galvanized support and signaled a reconciliation with a fraught chapter in team history
• His induction reframes a legacy long clouded by racial bias and media-driven criticism, cementing Allen’s place among baseball’s all-time great hitters