A trio of former players will get another chance at earning an election into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Dick Allen, Tommy John and Ken Boyer, all of whom played for the White Sox during their illustrious careers, are among eight candidates on the ballot for the 2025 Classic Era ballot. They join John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris, Dave Parker, and Luis Tiant.
Allen, who passed away in December 2020, played 15 seasons for five different teams. The seven-time All-Star is most well-known for his time with the Phillies, where he secured the Rookie of the Year award in 1964 and slashed .290/.371/.530 with 351 home runs in 1,070 games.
In December 1971, the White Sox acquired Allen from the Dodgers in exchange for Tommy John and Steve Huntz. Allen, who primarily played first baseman during his three seasons on the South Side, notched All-Star honors in each while winning the MVP award in 1972. He hit .307/.398/.589 with 85 home runs and 42 RBI in 348 games until the team reluctantly sold his contract to the Braves after the 1974 campaign.
John, 81, had a 3.34 ERA over 26 seasons with six teams. His 700 career starts rank eighth on the all-time list and his 4,710.1 innings rank 20th all-time. John is one of three living candidates on the ballot and threw for seven seasons while with the White Sox. In that span, he was named an All-Star for the first time in 1967 and posted a 2.95 ERA in 237 appearances (219 starts).
Many fans nowadays associate John with the elbow ligament replacement surgery, as he was the pioneer patient for the procedure in 1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe. Things turned out pretty well for John afterward, as the southpaw earned three additional All-Star Game selections. He also went on to win the Hutch Award in 1976 and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1981.
Boyer, who passed away in 1982, appeared with the White Sox in parts of two seasons from 1967-68. Throughout his 15-year career, he earned 11 All-Star Game selections and won the 1964 National League Most Valuable Player Award en route to a World Series championship with the Cardinals.
According to the Hall of Fame, the eight Classic Era finalists were selected by the BBWAA-appointed Historical Overview Committee from all eligible candidates whose most significant career impact happened before the 1980 season and fit specific criteria. A 16-person committee, which will be announced later this fall, will cast their votes next month at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. The Hall of Fame Board-appointed electorates that will decide the two players’ fate are usually made up of former players, executives, owners, writers, and historians.
Any candidate that appears on at least 12 of the 16 submitted ballots will earn 75% of the vote and be elected into the Hall of Fame next summer. Results of the Classic Era votes are set to be announced on MLB Network on Sunday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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