MET swingman Pat Mahomes became the first pitcher in the history of Qualcomm Stadium to surrender back-to-back, second-deck home runs, which reminded former Padre play-by-play man Jerry Gross, Duke Snider’s old partner in the booth, of the most famous second-deck shot in stadium history.

Dick Allen of the Phillies hit it. Gross managed to get Allen to agree to come on the postgame show the day before that and just before they were on the air Allen asked Gross what he would get for being a guest. Gross told him he would received 2,000 Blue Chip Stamps, valued at $1,500.

The first words listeners heard were these uttered by Allen: “I ain’t going on no postgame show for no Blue Chip Stamps.” He stormed off, leaving Gross to think quickly on his feet.

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, what’s good enough for Juan Marichal, Pete Rose and Stan Musial isn’t good enough for Dick Allen,” Gross said.

Gross got a chuckle the next day when he came to the ballpark and saw a banner hanging from the facade of the second deck in left field: “RICHIE ALLEN IS NO BLUE-CHIPPER.”

“He came up and really got booed,” Gross recalled. “He hit it right over that banner. Just crushed it.”