Phillies Fan Vic Fangio Pays Tribute to Dick Allen

Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio took time during a press conference on Tuesday, July 29, to share a treasured gift: a Philadelphia Phillies No. 15 Dick Allen jersey.

Allen was posthumously inducted on Sunday, July 27, into the Baseball Hall of Fame after an all-out effort by his former teammates, family, and friends. The former Phillies and White Sox star was announce as an inductee to the Hall of Fame in December by the Classic Baseball Era committee.

The Phillies retired Allen's No. 15 jersey in 2020, several months before he died at age 78.

The Phillies were one of the last MLB teams pre-expansion to integrate black and white players. During the 2024 season, the team unveiled a "Pioneers in Pinstripes" display at Citizens Bank Park recognizing Allen, John Irving Kennedy - the first black player in franchise history - and others in the club's history of integration.

Allen finished his MLB career with 351 home runs and a .912 OPS in 15 seasons. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1964 with the Phillies.

"The guys, I asked them to get this for me," Fangio said. "And they came through. My all-time favorite Phillie right there. He was their best player when I was young, and he was obviously a great player."

Fangio, a native of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, is a dedicated Phillies fan. He wore a Phillies hat during his first press conference of the Eagles training camp during the week of July 21. In 2017, Fangio told The Athletic that he doesn't "sleep at night until I know whether the Phillies won or lost. Even if they're on the West Coast."