Finally paid off | Sports Daily Newsletter

John Middleton tried to explain on Saturday night, hours before Dick Allen would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, why it took so long for his hero to receive baseball’s ultimate honor.

Allen’s candidacy in question didn’t have to do with statistics, which included 351 home runs and the second-highest OPS in the majors from 1964-74.

“It foundered on the question of his character,” Middleton said.

Allen refused to campaign for the Hall of Fame before he died in December of 2020. He didn’t care to rewrite the narrative — clubhouse cancer, lazy, angry — that Middleton believed kept Allen from Cooperstown. But others did.

Mark Carfagno, a former Veterans Stadium groundskeeper, had vigorously campaigned for Allen for years and Bill Kashatus wrote books about Allen. Mike Tollin, a Hollywood filmmaker, started making a movie. Mike Schmidt, the greatest Phillies player of all time, spoke up about his teammate. And Middleton retired No. 15 at Citizens Bank Park.

It was time for people to know the Allen they knew, and it paid off, The Inquirer’s Matt Breen writes.

— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, [email protected].

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

❓How do you hope the Phillies will approach the trade deadline? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

One year ago, Tanner Banks was traded at the deadline from the White Sox to the Phillies for a minor-league infielder and has since become an integral part of the bullpen. Now, as the Phillies play his former team in Chicago on trade-deadline week, Banks is curious to see where White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. winds up. Robert, who turns 28 next Sunday, is almost sure to get traded, and the Phillies are paying attention to his market.

And on Sunday, the Phillies fell short in the series finale to the Yankees. Zack Wheeler had an uncharacteristic rough start as he allowed four runs in the second inning, and while the Phillies hit three homers, they were all solo shots among just five hits in their 4-3 loss.

Jalyx Hunt has the potential to take on a significant role this season. After the Eagles lost Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat over the offseason, Hunt and Nolan Smith will be looked upon to fill the void. Hunt, the second-year edge rusher, has gotten off to an encouraging start on the field this summer. Some of his teammates say “he has tendencies like Micah [Parsons].”

Rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell has also shown flashes of his athleticism in Eagles training camp despite being limited through three days of camp. But on Saturday, he saw some action with the first-team defense.

Kelee Ringo and Adoree’ Jackson are embracing the position battle for the starting outside cornerback job opposite Quinyon Mitchell and have rotated in that spot throughout practice so far.

Here are more takeaways and observations from Day 3 of camp.

The 76ers announced on Friday that they were waiving Ricky Council IV. The 6-foot-6 swingman agreed to a two-way contract with the Sixers shortly after going undrafted out of Arkansas in 2023. Then they converted his contract into a four-year, $7.38 million standard deal in April 2024.

He continued to show signs that he could be a valued role player at the start of this past season. However, the Sixers needed more from Council with their star players sidelined and he struggled in that role.

The Colorado Rapids’ Zack Steffen knows as well as anyone that September means the start of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s final sprint to the World Cup. He also knows that, for the first time in over 30 years, the program doesn’t have a clear No. 1 goalkeeper. Steffen is now 30, and the Downingtown native showed against the Union on Saturday that he’s still got it. Will he finally get a shot with the national team?

Also, Steffen shared some advice for Cavan Sullivan about playing in the English Premier League. Steffen spent five years with Manchester City but rarely played. He hopes things go better for the Union’s teen phenom, who will move there in 2027.

Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from EJ Smith, Matt Breen, Scott Lauber, Olivia Reiner, Jeff McLane, Keith Pompey, Sidney Snider, Jonathan Tannenwald, and Ariel Simpson.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week, Philly. Jim will be back on the controls for tomorrow’s newsletter. — Bella