Dick Allen Wins the AL MVP in a Landslide

On November 15, 1972, the Baseball Writers' Association of America named Dick Allen of the Chicago White Sox the American League's Most Valuable Player. He won in a landslide, receiving 21 of 24 first-place votes and finishing well ahead of Oakland's Joe Rudi in the final tally.

Allen's 1972 season was dominant by any standard. He led the American League in home runs (37), RBIs (113), walks (99), slugging percentage (.603), and on-base percentage (.420). He did this while carrying a White Sox team that had finished 56 games under .500 the year before. With Allen, Chicago went 87-67, their best record in years.

The season represented a personal revival. Allen had bounced from Philadelphia to St. Louis to Los Angeles before arriving in Chicago, leaving a trail of controversy at every stop. In Philadelphia, he had clashed with fans, management, and teammates. The Phillies traded him after the 1969 season, and two more teams gave up on him before White Sox owner John Allyn signed him.

Chicago was a fresh start. Allen responded to manager Chuck Tanner's relaxed style, which allowed him freedom other managers had refused to grant. Tanner let Allen skip batting practice and arrive on his own schedule. The flexibility worked. Allen produced the best season of his career.

He was also one of the most physically imposing hitters of his era. At 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, Allen generated extraordinary bat speed. He swung a 40-ounce bat, heavier than anything his contemporaries used, and drove baseballs to distances that startled even experienced scouts.

Allen was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously by the Era Committee in 2022, 50 years after this MVP season.