Next time just call AAA

The Philadelphia Phillies’ Dick Allen almost has his Hall of Fame-worthy career end 56 years ago today as he severs a nerve in his right wrist after pushing his hand through the headlight of a car he was pushing in the rain.

Allen undergoes a five-hour surgery, leaving doctors to say he has only a 50-50 chance to playing again.

Allen misses the final 40 games of the 1967 with the Phillies going 19-21 to finish a pedestrian 82-80 and a distant fifth in the National League pennant race.

Allen is hitting .307 with 23 homers and 77 RBIs at the time of the injury.

He returns in 1968, batting .263 in 152 games with 32 homers and 90 RBIs.

Allen stays in the majors until 1977, moving around from the Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, the Phillies – again – and, finally, the Oakland Athletics.