Allen prepares for life after playing Pirates baseball

Moses Lake Pirates outfielder Richie Allen is the son of Richard Allen, a certified public accountant (CPA), and Mary Allen, a high school PE teacher.

Allen has two siblings. A sister Katy, who is a senior in high school next year, and brother Patrick, a Central Washington University graduate, who was commissioned by the Army as a Second Lieutenant.

Allen said his parents are his idols.

“Without them, I wouldn’t be here playing baseball,” said Allen.

Allen, 22, grew up in Yakima, Wash. and is a 2006 graduate of Davis High School.

While at Davis, Allen not only played baseball, he also played basketball and ran cross country — all while maintaining a 3.6 GPA.

After high school, Allen attended Lower Columbia College in Longview, Wash. He said the reason for going there was the great baseball program, facilities and coaches.

Allen is now attending Eastern Kentucky University.

When he played summer baseball in North Carolina, his assistant coach, who is the head coach at Eastern Kentucky, recruited Allen to Eastern Kentucky.

His major is accounting and he chose it because of his father. 

While playing for the Pirates, Allen is staying with a host family and he loves being with them.

“They’re great and always have food for me,” said Allen.

Allen would like to pursue baseball further than college, but realizes the importance of having a fallback career if baseball doesn’t work out.

On the field, Allen was a second-team All State selection at Davis High School in 2006 and at Lower Basin Columbia College, he was first team Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) All-Star in 2007, as a freshman, and batted .367. He was second on the team with 51 hits and drove in 22 runs as their leadoff man. He was second team NWAACC All-Star in 2008, as a sophomore.

Allen was brought up playing sports amd baseball was the sport he liked most.

The baseball players he idolized growing up were Nolan Ryan and Ken Griffey Jr. Allen admired Ryan for his hard-headed persona and Griffey because he played for his favorite team, the Seattle Mariners.

The baseball player he emulates on the field is Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore. Allen admires the way Sizemore always does his best to run down fly balls in the outfield and hit.

Like many baseball players, Allen is superstitious. When things aren’t going well, he will change the length of his pant legs until he gets going again.

The lesson he gets from baseball that he uses in everyday life is to try his hardest, and if it’s not going well, he can always turn it around.

As for playing for the Pirates, Allen said they have a good club and he is trying to get better for school ball. He also said he has made many friends while playing here.

Baseball players aren’t the only people Allen admires.

The person Allen would like to meet — dead or alive — is John Wayne.

“If he was like he was in his movies, he sounds like a pretty interesting guy,” said Allen.