Bob Allen (shortstop)

Robert Gilman Allen (July 10, 1867 – May 14, 1943) was an American shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Boston Beaneaters and the Cincinnati Reds, as well as a manager for two brief stints with the Phillies and Reds.

Bob Allen
Bob Allen in 1889
Shortstop
Born: (1867-07-10)July 10, 1867 Marion, Ohio, U.S.
Died: May 14, 1943(1943-05-14) (aged 75) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 19, 1890, for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
June 1, 1900, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Batting average	.241
Home runs	14
Runs batted in	306
Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
As player Philadelphia Phillies (1890–1894) Boston Beaneaters (1897) Cincinnati Reds (1900) As manager Philadelphia Phillies (1890) Detroit Tigers (1897) Cincinnati Reds (1900)

Early life

He was born in Marion, Ohio, and played youth baseball with future president Warren G. Harding.

Career

Captain Bob Allen, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1893

Allen made his NL debut in 1890 with the Phillies, and in his day was considered a power hitter, hitting a career-high eight home runs in 1893. In 1894, he was struck in the face with a pitch, sustaining a broken cheekbone. The Chicago Tribune reported that cheekbone fragments had entered Allen's brain. The paper suggested that Allen had sustained permanent damage to his eyesight and his mind.^[1]

When Allen's contract was up, he took a three-year hiatus from baseball, but he later joined the Beaneaters. His playing time diminished and he walked away from baseball again after the 1897 season. In 1900, he was hired as manager of the Reds, occasionally inserting himself into the game as a shortstop. He finished 62–77 and in seventh place. He was fired after one season at the helm.

Later life

He died in Little Rock, Arkansas, at age 75.^[2]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball player–managers