The Story Behind the Iconic Dick Allen Cover of 1972
Dick Allen, who died Monday, appeared on the SI cover in 1972. This is the story behind an essential image of 1970s MLB
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Story of Dick Allen Cover of 1972 (sports)
- Thread starter Paintman
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I remember when Allen, then called "Richie," played for Phillies. Seems like he was always getting into trouble or saying something controversial. I think he was one of the players involved in the Curt Flood trade that eventually led to establishment of free agency in US professional sports.
That photo is a great timepiece. I can't imagine a photo like that (i.e. the cig hanging from his mouth) on the cover of SI these days. I too remember him. He spent a year playing in L.A. for my hometown Dodgers when I was a little boy. He was a bit controversial for his time, but he'd probably be considered "run of the mill" these days.
I'm old enough to remember seeing teachers smoking while outside on recess duty, imagine seeing that on school grounds today
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I was just a little too young and missed the Dick Allen era at Comiskey Park. He only hit here for three years but he sure did make a mark.
But I did make it in time for that magical season when Bill Veeck owned the team and we were called the South Side Hitmen. I think when you're a 10 year old baseball crazy boy that would be the team you want to root for.
Hiya CatMan ! I always had a admiration for the Dodgers. And I can name all of the Alou Brothers.
Manny
Jose
Filipe
Harpo
But I did make it in time for that magical season when Bill Veeck owned the team and we were called the South Side Hitmen. I think when you're a 10 year old baseball crazy boy that would be the team you want to root for.
Hiya CatMan ! I always had a admiration for the Dodgers. And I can name all of the Alou Brothers.
Manny
Jose
Filipe
Harpo
OP
OP
Hi Paintman,
Nice to know not everyone outside L.A. is a Dodger hater. Well, OK, I get it with Giants fans, but that's OK, that's what rivalries are all about! We even have our own Dodger haters, they're called Angels fans.
Just curious, is it like that with the White Sox and Cubs fans?
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Civil War.
You get your baseball team the same way you get your religion in Chicago. Birth.
I had a friend in college and a friend in the army that were from New York and they didn't even get how deep the Sox / Cubs divides are.
A lot of it is in good fun except for when the Christmas drinking starts. Over the years I had to bury my friends that were big-time Cub fans. One guy, I may someday show up and put the iconic 'W' flag on his grave. So maybe I mellowed a little bit.
The "W" was a flag hung on a flagpole outside of Wrigley Field, back when they were playing only day games. That way if you were riding the train home from work you would know that the Cubs won the game.
It's always good to have another baseball fan around to talk with, Catman. You would fit right in with Duke and Christie.
You get your baseball team the same way you get your religion in Chicago. Birth.
I had a friend in college and a friend in the army that were from New York and they didn't even get how deep the Sox / Cubs divides are.
A lot of it is in good fun except for when the Christmas drinking starts. Over the years I had to bury my friends that were big-time Cub fans. One guy, I may someday show up and put the iconic 'W' flag on his grave. So maybe I mellowed a little bit.
The "W" was a flag hung on a flagpole outside of Wrigley Field, back when they were playing only day games. That way if you were riding the train home from work you would know that the Cubs won the game.
It's always good to have another baseball fan around to talk with, Catman. You would fit right in with Duke and Christie.
Wow! That's a pretty intense rivalry! We don't have a rivalry with the Angels. They just don't like us. Most Dodgers fans I know either like the Angels or just don't care about them. That's probably the problem....no one likes being ignored or not taken seriously. What can I say? We have our team, and the Angels aren't it. There's one thing everyone in the greater L.A. area agrees on though, we'd all like to see a "freeway world series" between the two of them.