‘Dedication to preserve their stories:’ Phillies unveil ‘Pioneers in Pinstripes’ exhibit

When Phillies owner John Middleton oversaw the original blueprints of Citizens Bank Park more than two decades ago, he knew that he wanted to reserve a special space that honored the franchise’s top accomplishments.

That sparked the creation of the Hall of Fame Club, located behind home plate on the second deck of the stadium.

On Monday, as teams from across Major League Baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson Day, the Phillies unveiled the newest addition to their Hall of Fame Club: the Pioneers in Pinstripes exhibit, which was ”created to honor trailblazers of Phillies integration and racial/ethnic diversity.”

With more than 70 family members of the franchise’s first Black and minority players in attendance, Middleton beamed as a set of black curtains opened to officially unveil the display that featured portraits and murals of the team’s first Black and minority players.

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“I was blown away … this has exceeded my highest expectations,” Middleton said.

The ceremony also featured short speeches from Tazena Kennedy, the daughter of John Kennedy, the first Black major-league player for the Phillies; Terry Washington, the son of shortstop Ted Washington, the first Black player to be signed by the Phillies; and Willa Allen, the widow of Dick Allen, the Phillies’ first minority superstar whose No. 15 was retired by the team in 2020.

Tazena honored her late father, John, with a poem that brought her and others to tears:

“My Mr. Baseball was gentle and kind. My Mr. Baseball was one-of-a-kind.

“My Mr. Baseball at age 71, slid into home plate. My Mr. Baseball, the man, the myth, a shortstop great.

“My Mr. Baseball, from the Negro Leagues he came. My Mr. Baseball, now memorialized and honored in the Phillies’ Baseball Hall of Fame.

“To the game he loved and game his heart and soul. To America’s pastime, the name, John Irving Kennedy, will never get old.

“Thank you to the Phillies organization for an honor such as this. I am humbled and grateful that my dad’s memory will never be missed.

“As the evening days pass and the light fades to dark, John Irving Kennedy’s name is etched into the halls of Citizens Bank Park.

“It is with gladness and cheer, my Mr. Baseball, my dad is no longer a forgotten pioneer. Daddy, my efforts to keep your name alive have not gone in vain. Take your rest, because now, your Phillies wings you have gained.”

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Former shortstop Chuck Randall, who in 1955 became one of the first Black minor leaguers for the Phillies, also was in attendance along with family members of other Phillies pioneers Nathan Dickerson, Eddie Logan, Richard and Robert Haines, and Hank Mason.

As part of the festivities, Gail Quarles, daughter of Hank Mason, who in 1958 became the Phillies’ first Black pitcher, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the team hosted the Rockies.

“On behalf of my husband and all of the families here tonight, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Philadelphia Phillies for the creation of the Pioneers in Pinstripes,” Willa Allen said. “This tribute is not only celebrating exceptional talent, but also their important role in advancing diversity and inclusion in baseball.

“The Pioneers in Pinstripes serves as a reminder of the barrier they overcame and the lasting impact they made on the game we all love. [The Phillies’] dedication to preserve their stories assures that their achievements will inspire future generations for years to come.”