Crash: The Life and Times of Dick Allen

Allen was baseball's enfant terrible in the 1960s and '70s, characterized by the press as temperamental, undependable and generally unpleasant. In this autobiography, written with PhillySport magazine editor Whitaker, he gives his side of the story. Raised in Pennsylvania and a star athlete in an integrated school, Allen was unlike most of the other black pioneers in his sport, who came from the segregated Deep South. He was sent to Little Rock, the first black player there, and was traumatized by the experience. When he got to the big leagues, he wanted to play his sport, not talk to newsmen, and so alienated them. But his talent was undeniable (he was voted the American League's most valuable player when he was with Chicago) and he left the game with considerable bitterness. The controversial Allen's viewpoint as presented is convincing, his memoir informative. (Apr.)