The Phillies plan to include a jersey patch honoring franchise icon Dick Allen during the 2021 season, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The Phillies have since confirmed the report.
This comes a season after the Phillies retired Allen’s No. 15. Allen appeared at a ceremony last September, allowing him to join an exclusive list of numbers retired by the Phillies that also includes Richie Ashburn, Jim Bunning, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Chuck Klein and Roy Halladay.
The ceremony proved to be Allen’s final public appearance, as he passed away on Dec. 7. The news of the patch comes on the 79th anniversary of Allen’s birth in Wampum, Pa.
Breen notes that the patch will be on one of the jersey sleeves. It’s not yet clear what the patch will look like. It could be his No. 15, his initials or some combination of the two. One of the most objectively cool players in MLB history probably deserves a fresh looking patch.
A seven-time All-Star, Allen won the National League Rookie of the Year Award with the Phillies in 1964. Allen had two stints with the Phillies, spanning nine different campaigns. In 1,070 games as a Phillie, Allen slashed .290/.371/.530 with 204 home runs, 655 RBIs and a .902 OPS.
