Dick Allen And Reggie Smith Honored For Baseball Legacies

Baseball fans across the nation have plenty to celebrate in 2026, as two iconic figures—Dick Allen and Reggie Smith—are being honored for their profound impact on the game, both on and off the diamond. Their stories, though shaped by different eras and circumstances, are woven together by themes of perseverance, talent, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

For Dick Allen, the journey to baseball immortality was anything but smooth. His path began in the turbulent South of the early 1960s, a time when America was still grappling with the legacy of segregation. In 1963, Allen broke a significant barrier, becoming the first professional Black player to suit up for the Arkansas Travelers, a newly minted Triple-A club in Little Rock. This milestone came just 16 years after Jackie Robinson shattered Major League Baseball's color line on April 15, 1947—a reminder of how recent and raw the struggle for equality remained.

Allen’s debut in Little Rock was set against a backdrop of resistance and hostility. The city, infamous for its stand against integration during the 1957 Central High School crisis under Governor Orval Faubus, was not ready to welcome a Black star with open arms. Faubus himself threw out the first pitch before nearly 7,000 fans, many of whom displayed hateful signs and hurled racial slurs at Allen. “The ball flew over my head. I missed the ball because I was scared. I don’t mind saying it,” Allen later wrote in his autobiography, recalling his error on the very first play. Yet, he quickly redeemed himself with two doubles, helping the Travelers notch their first win of the season.

But success on the field did little to shield Allen from the ugliness off it. After his first game, he discovered a threatening note on his car, a chilling reminder of the dangers he faced. “There might be something more terrifying than being Black and holding a note that [includes that racial slur] in an empty parking lot in Little Rock, Ark., in 1963. But if there is, it hasn’t crossed my path yet,” Allen wrote. Segregation laws forced him to live in a separate part of town and, at times, he could only dine out if accompanied by a white teammate. The isolation was so intense that Allen left his new wife at home in Pennsylvania, hoping to spare her from the daily indignities he endured.

Despite these obstacles, Allen’s talent was undeniable. At just 21, he batted .289/.341/.550, smashing a league-leading 33 home runs—a club record that stood for 35 years—along with 12 triples, 97 RBIs, and 299 total bases. “If I’m going to die, why not die doing what God gave me a gift to do. I’ll die right there in that batter’s box without any fear,” Allen reflected in his memoir. His resilience paid off: Travelers fans voted him team MVP, and his performance earned him a September call-up to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Allen’s Major League career was nothing short of spectacular. Between 1964 and 1972, he played for the Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers, and White Sox, averaging 30 home runs and 94 RBIs per season with a .298/.386/.550 slash line. He made seven All-Star appearances and was crowned the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 1972 with the White Sox. Allen wrapped up his playing days with the Oakland Athletics in 1977. Though he faced misunderstandings and controversies throughout his career, Allen’s legacy was finally cemented in 2025 when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame via the Classic Baseball Era Committee. Sadly, he was not alive to witness this honor, having passed away in December 2020 at age 78 after a long battle with cancer. Reflecting on his journey, Allen once told The Evening Independent, “All I know is I played ball hard—the only way I know how. So you’ve got to go ahead and live with it. I have no regrets... I don’t have anything in my heart against anybody. And I hope nobody has anything against me.”

While Allen’s story is a testament to overcoming adversity, Reggie Smith’s career highlights the enduring power of excellence and leadership within the game. Smith, a switch-hitting outfielder, will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball on August 15, 2026, at Dodger Stadium, ahead of the team’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This honor places him among an elite group that includes Don Newcombe, Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela, Maury Wills, Kirk Gibson, Manny Mota, Orel Hershiser, Dusty Baker, and Ron Cey.

Smith’s baseball journey began in earnest with the Boston Red Sox in 1966, but it was his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976 to 1981 that truly defined his legacy. Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals on June 15, 1976, in exchange for Joe Ferguson and two minor leaguers, Smith immediately made his mark. “I tell people I was a Dodger before I actually joined the team,” Smith said, reflecting on his admiration for Jackie Robinson and the impact of seeing the Dodgers play in Los Angeles as a young African American fan. “He was my boyhood hero, so when I became a Dodger, it was very special.”

Smith’s 1977 season was particularly memorable. He blasted a career-high 32 home runs and was part of MLB’s first-ever 30-homer quartet, joining Steve Garvey (33), Ron Cey (30), and Dusty Baker (30). That year, he also led the National League in on-base percentage at .427 and earned All-Star honors in both 1977 and 1978, finishing fourth in NL MVP voting each time. His postseason contributions were vital, especially in the Dodgers’ 1981 World Series championship run. Smith went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and two RBI as a pinch hitter in the playoffs, and in the 1977 World Series, he reached base 10 times in 26 plate appearances, including three home runs.

Over his 17-year MLB career, Smith was a seven-time All-Star and started the 1980 Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium. With 314 career home runs, he ranks ninth all-time among switch-hitters and, according to Baseball Reference, stands 20th among non-Hall of Famers with 64.6 wins above replacement. After retiring, Smith returned to the Dodgers as a Minor League instructor, field coordinator, and Major League hitting coach. He also contributed to Tommy Lasorda’s coaching staff during Team USA’s gold medal run in baseball at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

As baseball continues to honor its past and inspire its future, the stories of Dick Allen and Reggie Smith serve as powerful reminders of the game’s capacity to challenge, uplift, and unite. Their legacies—one forged in the crucible of social change, the other in the pursuit of greatness—will resonate for generations to come.