Dick Allen were alive to see his long overdue selection as a Hall of Famer.” How often do you think that sentiment has been uttered in the last few days? The Classic Era Committee announced Sunday that its selections for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025 are Dick Allen and Dave Parker — arguably among the most feared hitters in Phillies and Pirates history,

What took so long? That was the question that echoed through the night Sunday, along with so many powerful emotions.

When Jim Kaat got his Hall of Fame call three years ago, it was incredible. The Zeeland native would go into the Hall of Fame with his teammate Tony Oliva, both of whom waited for more than 30 years to be enshrined in Cooperstown.