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Dave Parker

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For other people named Dave Parker, see Dave Parker (disambiguation).

Dave Parker
Parker with the Oakland Athletics in 1989
Right fielder / Designated hitter
Born: (1951-06-09)June 9, 1951
Grenada, Mississippi, U.S.
Died: June 28, 2025(2025-06-28) (aged 74)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 12, 1973, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1991, for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics
Batting average.290
Hits2,712
Home runs339
Runs batted in1,493
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Incoming Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2025
Vote87.5%
Election methodClassic Baseball Era Committee

David Gene Parker (June 9, 1951 – June 28, 2025), nicknamed "the Cobra",[1] was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right fielder from 1973 to 1991. A seven-time All-Star, Parker won two National League batting titles and was the 1978 National League Most Valuable Player. He was a member of two World Series championship teams, winning with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979 and the Oakland Athletics in 1989.

Parker was the second professional athlete to earn an average of $1 million per year, having signed a five-year, $5 million contract in January 1979. Parker's career achievements include 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, 1,493 runs batted in, and a lifetime batting average of .290. Parker was also known as a solid defensive outfielder during the first half of his career with a powerful arm, winning three straight Gold Gloves during his prime. From 1975 to 1979, he threw out 72 runners, including 26 in 1977. In 2025, Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He died 29 days before he was to be inducted.

Early life

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David Gene Parker was born in Grenada, Mississippi, on June 9, 1951, and grew up in Cincinnati near Crosley Field, where he learned to play baseball on the stadium's parking lots.[2][3] His father, Dick Parker, was a shipping clerk in a foundry.[3] Dave Parker attended Courter Tech High School.[4] He said his favorite sport was football, and he starred at tailback but he injured a knee in a game during his senior year and gave up the game.[5] Also a baseball star, one of his fondest memories was playing at Western Hills High School, where he hit a home run that landed on the roof of a Frisch's restaurant.[4]

Playing career

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Pittsburgh Pirates

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Parker commenced his Major League Baseball career in 1973, when the Pittsburgh Pirates elevated him from the minor leagues.[6] He adopted a unique approach to warming up in the on-deck circle, utilizing a sledgehammer, in contrast to the customary lead-weighted bat employed by most batters.[7] Notably, in 1977, Parker achieved the distinction of being the National League batting champion, a feat he subsequently repeated in 1978 when he was named the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP). During his MVP campaign, Parker led the National League in slugging percentage (.585), on-base plus slugging (.979), and total bases (340).[8] He accomplished these statistics, despite a collision with John Stearns at home plate during a game against the Mets on June 30, 1978. Parker sustained a fractured jaw and cheekbone. To prevent further injury and a long absence from the lineup, he wore a specially crafted facemask.[9]

The next year, Pirates rewarded him with a five-year deal that was American sports' first million-dollar-per-year contract.[10][11] Pirate fans angered by his million-dollar contract threw "nuts and bolts and bullets and batteries" at him, as pitcher Kent Tekulve stated to The Sporting News.[12] Parker’s power hitting resulted in an at-bat that “knocked the cover off the ball” upon landing in the outfield, complicating the subsequent attempt to return it to play.[13] Parker proved to be an instrumental part of the Pirates' World Series championship team and their only member to make to the United Press International all-star selection at the end of the 1979 season.[14]

In 1981, at a juncture in his career when he appeared poised to rank among the game’s all-time greats, Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their seminal work, “The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.”[15] The authors, acknowledging Parker’s subsequent success at replacing Roberto Clemente at the right field position, remarked, “Someone must have a fondness for right field in Pittsburgh.”[15]

Despite his dominating offensive performance in the late 1970s, by the early 1980s, Parker’s batting prowess waned due to sustained injuries, weight-related issues, and his escalating cocaine consumption.[16] He became a central figure in a pervasive drug scandal that permeated the major leagues, involving drug dealer Curtis Strong.[17] Consequently, the Pirates initiated legal action against him in 1986, as they still owed deferred payments on his 1979 contract, alleging his breach of contractual obligations. Parker and the team mutually resolved the matter through an out-of-court settlement.[7]

Later career

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At the end of the 1983 season, Parker became a free agent and signed with the Cincinnati Reds on December 7, 1983.[18] In Cincinnati, his hometown, he returned to the form that made him an All-Star in Pittsburgh.[12] In 1985, he enjoyed his best season since he won the 1978 MVP with a .312 batting average and 34 home runs.[19] He also led the National League with 125 RBIs, 42 doubles, 80 extra-base hits, and 350 total bases.[8] Parker was also the winner of the league's first-ever Home Run Derby at the 1985 All-Star Game when he hit 6 home runs in 10 attempts.[20] At the end of the season, Parker finished second in 1985 MVP voting to Willie McGee.[21]

Following the season, Parker was among several players who testified against a dealer in the Pittsburgh drug trials.[17] Named as "regular users", Parker and six other players were suspended for the following season. The sentences were commuted, however, in exchange for donating ten percent of their base salaries to drug-related community service, submitting to random drug testing, and contributing 100 hours of drug-related community service.[22][23]

After the 1987 season, Cincinnati traded Parker to the Oakland Athletics for José Rijo and Tim Birtsas on December 8, 1987.[24] In Oakland, Parker was able to extend his career by spending most of his time as a designated hitter (DH). Injuries and age caught up to him to a degree; he hit just .257 with 12 homers in 377 at-bats in 1988 and .264 with 22 homers in 553 at-bats in 1989.[8]

After winning the 1989 World Series with Oakland, on December 3, 1989, Parker signed a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers starting in the 1990 season.[25] He had a solid year as the Brewers' DH with a .289 average and 21 home runs in 610 at-bats.[19] He was even selected as a reserve for the 1990 All-Star Game. Milwaukee opted for youth, and on March 14, 1991 traded the aging Parker to the Angels for Dante Bichette.[26]

Parker's last season was 1991. He played for the California Angels until late in the season before being released on September 7.[27] The Toronto Blue Jays then signed him as insurance for the pennant race on September 14.[28] Jays General Manager Pat Gillick signed him at the league minimum wage of $11,500, or $650 per game, with 19 remaining games in the season.[29] Parker went 12 for 37, for a batting average of .324 for the limited action he had as the Jays' DH in the final stretch of the season.[30] Since he was acquired so late in the season, he did not qualify for inclusion on the post-season roster and was unable to play in the American League Championship Series against the Minnesota Twins.[31] He became a free agent following the end of the season. The Chicago White Sox were the only team showing interest in him as a possible backup for Bo Jackson in March 1992.[32] But with the Sox signing former Blue Jay, George Bell on April 2, 1992, Parker had no other potential offers to continue playing in the major leagues.[33]

Career statistics

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G AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI SB BB AVG OBP SLG OPS FLD%
2466 9358 1272 2712 526 75 339 4405 1493 154 683 .290 .339 .471 .810 .966
Source:[8][19]

In 30 postseason games, Parker batted .234 (26-for-111) with 11 runs, five doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI, and seven walks.[8][19]

Post-retirement, personal life, and death

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Parker served as a first-base coach for the Anaheim Angels in 1997, a batting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998.[5]

Parker was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame Class of 2014, which also included fellow Cincinnati natives Ron Oester and Ken Griffey Jr.[34] In 2012, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame.[4] That same year, he was inducted into the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame.[35] On September 3, 2022, he was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame as part of its inaugural class.[36]

Parker never got more than 24% of votes on Baseball Hall of Fame ballots, and his 15-year Baseball Writers' Association of America eligibility was exhausted on the 2011 ballot.[2] Supporters of Parker's candidacy argue that his involvement with the Pittsburgh drug trials contributed to his not being voted into the Hall of Fame, which may have also harmed the candidacies of Keith Hernandez (who never received more than 10.8% and fell off the writers' ballot after nine appearances) and Tim Raines (who was not elected until his 10th year on the ballot, after debuting at 24.3%), serving as a precursor to those listed on the Mitchell Report not being voted into the Hall of Fame due to steroid abuse.[37][38] He appeared on the Classic Baseball Era Committee's 2025 ballot and was elected with 87.5% of the vote (appearing on 14 of 16 ballots) on December 8, 2024.[39] He was scheduled to be inducted on July 27, 2025, however he died 29 days before this took place.[40]

Parker had six children. He resided in Loveland, Ohio, near Cincinnati, with his wife, Kellye.[4][41] He owned several Popeyes chicken franchises in Cincinnati for about 22 years, before selling them after his Parkinson's disease diagnosis in 2012.[41][42]

In 2013, he confirmed to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within the past year.[43] He was involved in raising money to find a cure for Parkinson's disease through the Dave Parker 39 Foundation.[44]

Parker died from complications of Parkinson's disease in Cincinnati, on June 28, 2025, at the age of 74. His death occurred 29 days before his scheduled induction ceremony to the Baseball Hall of Fame.[2][45]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Epstein, Dan (June 10, 2011). "Day of the Cobra". Big Hair and Plastic Grass. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Goldstein, Richard (June 28, 2025). "Dave Parker, Power Hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Livingston, Pat (February 1, 1978). "Parker Rich in Gratitude". The Pittsburgh Press. E. W. Scripps Company. p. B4. OCLC 2266185. Retrieved June 28, 2025 – via Google News Archive.
  4. ^ a b c d Dyer, Mike (March 9, 2012). "Dave Parker looking forward to CPS induction". Cincinnati.com. Gannett. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Preston, J.G. (June 28, 2025). "Dave Parker". SABR. Phoenix, Arizona: Society for American Baseball Research. Archived from the original on July 1, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  6. ^ Perotto, John (June 28, 2025). "Dave Parker, hard-hitting Hall of Fame outfielder nicknamed 'the Cobra' dies at 74". New York: The Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Rushin, Steve (June 11, 1990). "Big Brew Ha-ha: Old hands Don Baylor and Dave Parker are showing the Brewers how to stay loose and win". SI Vault. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Dave Parker". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference, LLC. 2025. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  9. ^ Lukas, Paul (July 29, 2008). "Aggh! It's Dave Parker at the plate!". ESPN PAGE2. Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  10. ^ Reveron, Derek A. (October 1979). "Dave Parker: Big Man, Big Bat and Baseball's Biggest Salary". Ebony. Vol. XXXIV, no. 12. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Company. pp. 84–92. ISSN 0012-9011. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ Jet Staff (February 22, 1979). "Parker's $5 Million Pact Says He's Baseball's Best". Jet. Vol. 55, no. 23. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Company. p. 48. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ a b Downey, Mike (July 22, 1985). "In Cincinnati, He No Longer Sees Red". The Los Angeles Times. Times-Mirror Company. pp. S3-1, S3-14. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  13. ^ Nelahoppen, Thomas (December 9, 2008). "H0F '09 Dave Parker". Urbana, Illinois: The Baseball Zealot. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  14. ^ UPI Staff (October 19, 1979). "Parker Only Buc All-Star". The Pittsburgh Press. Scripps-Howard Newspapers. p. B-10. Retrieved June 30, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b Ritter, Lawrence; Honig, Donald (1981). The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time (1st ed.). New York: Crown Publishers. pp. 158–159. ISBN 978-0-517-54300-9.
  16. ^ Ledger Staff (September 12, 1985). "Reds Star Dave Parker Admits Cocaine Use". Lakeland Ledger. Lakeland, Florida: New York Times. p. 6D. Retrieved June 28, 2025 – via Google News.
  17. ^ a b Ackerman, Jan; Remeshky, Carl (September 12, 1985). "Parker: Used cocaine for 3 years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Final ed.). Block Communications. pp. 1, 4, 5. Retrieved June 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Sullivan, Tim (December 8, 1983). "Dave Parker Joins The Reds Outfield". The Cincinnati Enquirer (Final ed.). Gannett. p. 1. OCLC 41881827. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b c d "Dave Parker". Retrosheet. Newark, Delaware. 2025. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  20. ^ Sullivan, Tim (July 16, 1985). "Parker Puts On Power Show". The Cincinnati Enquirer (Final ed.). Gannett. p. C1. OCLC 41881827. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ AP Staff (November 19, 1985). "Look out, NL – MVP McGee wants to improve". The Cincinnati Enquirer (Final ed.). Gannett. The Associated Press. p. C4. OCLC 41881827. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Cook, Ron (September 29, 2000). "The Eighties: A terrible time of trial and error". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Block Communications. p. CC-3. Retrieved June 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Bodley, Hal (March 4, 2004). "Ueberroth took action in 1986 cocaine scandal". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 15, 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  24. ^ Sokolove, Michael (December 9, 1987). "Reds spare kids sight of 'Pops'". The Cincinnati Post (Final ed.). Scripps-Howard Newspapers. p. 1C. OCLC 51645668. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Stier, Kit (December 4, 1989). "Slugger leaves A's for two-year Milwaukee contract". The Tribune. Oakland, California. OCLC 760300116. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Elliott, Helene (March 15, 1991). "Angels Designate Parker as Hitter". Los Angeles Times (Final ed.). pp. C1, C4. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  27. ^ Elliott, Helene (September 8, 1991). "Looking Ahead, Angels Leave Parker Behind". Los Angeles Times (Sunday Final ed.). p. C10. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  28. ^ Perkins, Dave (September 15, 1991). "Are Jays panicking by signing Parker?". The Toronto Star (Metro 1 ed.). Torstar. p. G3. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Ryan, Allan (September 15, 1991). "Cobra puts fear on bench". The Toronto Star (Metro 1 ed.). Torstar. pp. G1, G2. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ Proudfoot, Jim (October 18, 1991). "Gillick is guility of mental error in Gaston's case". The Toronto Star (Metro ed.). Torstar. p. B3. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ MacCarl, Neil (October 1, 1991). "Inside Pitch: Parker not eligible". The Toronto Star (Metro ed.). Torstar. p. B2. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ AP Staff (March 5, 1992). "Bo knows discomfort". The Financial Post. Toronto: Sun Media. The Associated Press. p. 40. ISSN 0838-8431. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Perkins, Dave (April 3, 1992). "Good ol'Georgie is still one jovial pro at dishing out insults". The Toronto Star (Metro 1 ed.). Torstar. pp. B1, B3. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Reds Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2014". Cincinnati Reds: This is Reds Country (Press release). Major League Baseball. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  35. ^ "Salón De La Fama De Los Navegantes Del Magallanes". Magallanes Baseball Club (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  36. ^ delos Santos, Justice (September 3, 2022). "Pirates induct 19 baseball legends into inaugural HOF class". MLB.com. New York: Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on July 1, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  37. ^ SN Staff (January 9, 2013). "Baseball Hall of Fame 2013 vote: No candidate elected by BBWAA | MLB". The Sporting News. Charlotte, North Carolina: Sporting News Holdings. ISSN 1041-2859. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  38. ^ Langosch, Jenifer; Eagle, Ed (November 18, 2010). "Dave Parker gets final shot at Hall of Fame". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  39. ^ "Classic Baseball Era Committee Candidates Announced". Baseball Hall of Fame. November 4, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  40. ^ Blum, Ronald (December 8, 2024). "Dave Parker and Dick Allen elected to baseball's Hall of Fame". AP News. New York: The Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  41. ^ a b McAlister, Lance (August 6, 2013). "Former Red, Cincinnati Legend, Dave Parker Diagnosed with Parkinson's". ESPN 1530. Cincinnati: ESPN Radio. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  42. ^ Newberry, Jon (December 28, 2007). "Franchise businesses opening doors of opportunity". Business Courier of Cincinnati. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
  43. ^ Starkey, Joe (August 5, 2013). "Ex-Pirates slugger Parker is coping with Parkinson's". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Tribune-Review Publishing Company. Archived from the original on June 29, 2025. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
  44. ^ Ladson, Bill (March 30, 2017). "'Cobra' not letting Parkinson's hold him back". MLB.com. New York: Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  45. ^ Lacques, Gabe (June 28, 2025). "Dave Parker, two-time World Series champ, dies one month before Hall of Fame induction". USA Today. Gannett. Archived from the original on June 30, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
[edit]
Awards and achievements
Preceded by National League Player of the Month
August & September 1978
May 1985 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Anaheim Angels First Base Coach
1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by St. Louis Cardinals Hitting Coach
1998 		Succeeded by
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