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50 years on, the Dick Allen-Frank Thomas fight still resonates

At 73, Dick Allen finally looked his age.

Representing the Phillies at a June public event, it was clear the Wampum Walloper's sinewy body was softening at last. The sweatpants he inexplicably wore revealed a slight belly. His hair, now white as a fresh home uniform, resembled Don King's. And though a pair of Jackie O-sized sunglasses obscured much of his face, they couldn't hide the weariness.

It seemed that all the "what ifs", which 46 years after he left the Phillies following the 1969 season, still cling like sinkers to his legacy, had become too much to bear.