In today's Sun-Times Joe Goddard's 'What's Up With…" column was on Ed Herrmann who played 11 seasons for the Sox. The whole column is well worth reading but there is a Dick Allen story I can't pass up.

 

"Melton and I saw him for the first time in spring camp in Sarasota, Fla. He was in the batting cage, letting pitches bounce off him. We asked what he was doing and he said, 'Getting used to getting pitched inside,' Right then, we knew this man was about winning."

 

 

BTW: Ed lives in San Diego, runs baseball camps and coaches, his web site is www.edherrmann.com, it includes player and scouting tips (must read), photos and period articles from Edgar Munzel, Dave Nightingale, John Hilyer and Richard Dozer. Plus he answers Emails himself.

 

Ed was not the most talented player on the White Sox when I was growing up, but he had, and still has, the biggest heart of them all.

Dick Allen was the goods. I met him (in a bar of all places) in the late 1980's, and I told him he was the best player I ever saw in a Sox uniform. He said "Well, aren't you kind. But the best player who ever wore a Sox uniform is on my other side here." And there was Minnie Minoso.

I met Ed Herrmann and Rick Dempsey when they were Yankees. Dempsey was a rookie and Herrmann was a grizzled veteran by that time. NY was playing in Milwaukee and had an off day. I was 17 and met them at a bar in Worth, IL. The hell of it was, Catfish Hunter was supposed to be with them, but bailed out at the last minute. Needless to say, I was highly disappointed.

Dick Allen was the goods. I met him (in a bar of all places) in the late 1980's, and I told him he was the best player I ever saw in a Sox uniform. He said "Well, aren't you kind. But the best player who ever wore a Sox uniform is on my other side here." And there was Minnie Minoso.

Thank you for the story of a class act by Dick Allen.

 

That man hit some of the fastest, strongest home runs I ever saw. Only Reggie Jackson was his match for that in all the years I have watched baseball.

saw Dick Allen hit a line drive home run into the center field seats below the scoreboard at the old Comiskey. Ball was a rocket.

 

Loved to watch him swing that 40-ounce bat, play the field wearing a helmet and write things in the base path around first base.

 

He was GREAT with the Sox for three seasons. Unfortunately, Oakland was better those three years and we were stuck in their division.

 

As for Ed Herrmann, he was slower than Konerko, but a good catcher, solid clutch hitter and excellent at blocking the plate.

 

Whatever happened to No Neck Williams, another favorite of mine?

saw Dick Allen hit a line drive home run into the center field seats below the scoreboard at the old Comiskey. Ball was a rocket.

 

Loved to watch him swing that 40-ounce bat, play the field wearing a helmet and write things in the base path around first base.

 

He was GREAT with the Sox for three seasons. Unfortunately, Oakland was better  those three years and we were stuck in their division.

 

As for Ed Herrmann, he was slower than Konerko, but a good catcher, solid clutch hitter and excellent at blocking the plate.

 

Whatever happened to No Neck Williams, another favorite of mine?

I saw Allen hit on off of the back wall of the CF bullpen. It bounced back into the field of play. That was a screamer. The pitcher tried to reach up and catch that ball as it went by him. He's lucky he didn't get a glove on it. He would have landed flat of his back in short CF.