Bob Allen (allenbo04)

Robert Gray Allen

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.

• Debut April 14, 1961
• Final Game September 27, 1967
• Born October 23, 1937 in Tatum, TX USA
• Died December 12, 2023 in Tatum, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Before the 1956 season, Bob Allen was signed as an amateur free agent by the Cleveland Indians. He was assigned to the Nebraska State League (Short Season) North Platte Indians. The left-handed pitcher built a 7-5 record with a 4.11 ERA in his opening pro season. He spent the next four seasons, 1957 through 1960, in the minors before getting his chance with the major league Cleveland Indians. He amassed a 51-44 won-loss record with a 4.26 ERA during those years.

He spent 1961 through 1963 with the Indians, winning 5 games and losing 5 with a 4.64 ERA. During this stretch, he spent some of the 1962 season with the Pacific Coast League Salt Lake City Bees, going 5-2 with a 3.31 ERA. 1964 and 1965 found him with the Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers, where he went 11-10 with a 3.65 ERA for the two-year stand. This was enough to get him back up to the majors, again with the Cleveland Indians, where he spent 1966 and 1967 winning 2 games and losing 7 with a 3.60 ERA. This was his last show in the major leagues.

In the majors, he was used as a lefty specialist as a time when such usage was rare, as he only pitched 274 innings in 204 games, his rate of innings pitched per outing going steadily down after starting with a more usual 81 2/3 innings in 48 appearances as a rookie in 1961. He became a specialist after that, getting few decisions each year in spite of a fair number of games pitched. His final season, 1967, was the only one in which he had as many as ten decisions - 5 losses and 5 saves. The next five seasons, 1968 through 1972, Allen spent in Triple A. He was used as a spot starter and in short relief and finished his last years in professional baseball with a fine 21-6 record and 4.02 ERA.

Allen spent 17 years in pro baseball. He won 88 and lost 62 minor league contests and won 7 games while losing 12 in the majors.

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
SABR Minor League Database
baseball-reference.com