CINCINNATI — Dave Parker fell just short of his moment on the stage in Cooperstown.
It was about the only thing in baseball that eluded him.
Parker was set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27 after a brilliant career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Reds and four other MLB teams. Sadly, he won’t be able to attend his own induction as he passed away Saturday in Cincinnati due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, a diagnosis he acknowledged in 2013.
Parker grew up in Cincinnati near Crosley Field and attended Courter Tech High School, where he starred on the school’s football, basketball and baseball teams.
He was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2014, and this past December was selected for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“We are heartbroken by the passing of Dave Parker,” said Bob Castellini, Reds principal owner and managing partner. “Dave was a towering figure on the field, in the clubhouse, and in the Cincinnati community where his baseball journey began, playing on the fields near his home and going to games at Crosley Field. Dave’s impact on the game and on this franchise will never be forgotten. We are extremely proud he wore a Reds uniform as part of his Hall of Fame career. Our thoughts are with his family and all who loved him.”
After the 1987 season, the Reds traded Parker to Oakland for pitchers Jose Rijo and Tim Birtsas. He would win the World Series with the 1979 Pirates and the 1989 Athletics, facing the Reds in the 1990 Fall Classic with Oakland.
“Dave Parker was a gifted all-around player whose numerous accomplishments led to his upcoming induction in Cooperstown this summer,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “He was a World Series Champion with the 1979 Pirates and the 1989 Athletics, a beloved All-Star Red in his hometown of Cincinnati, and an All-Star in Milwaukee. Dave was also a three-time Gold Glover on the strength of his famous arm, a two-time batting champion, and the winner of the inaugural Home Run Derby in 1985. All of us throughout the game are deeply saddened by this loss. We will remember the Cobra forever, especially as his name soon officially joins the legends of our National Pastime. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my sympathy to Dave’s family and his fans across the game.”
Adding to the sadness, he passing was announced on the video board just minutes after the Big Red Machine was honored on the field in a 50th anniversary celebration and just before the national anthem with a moment of silence.
In 1973, as a member of the Pirates Triple–A minor league affiliate, the Charleston Charlies, legend has it that Parker hit a home run that landed on a coal car on a passing train and the ball was later picked up in Columbus, Ohio. Parker famously was quoted in 1975, “when I played for Charleston I always had the ambition to hit a home run onto a moving train. I really used to shoot for that. I hit a few on the tracks, but never as a train was going by.”
He began his major league career on July 12, 1973, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, for whom he played from 1973 to 1983. His first full season came in 1975, when he led the National League in slugging percentage (.541) and finished third in NL MVP voting. He would face his hometown Reds in the NLCS that season. But the Pirates were swept in three games, as the Reds advanced to the World Series against Boston.
In 1977, he was National League batting champion, a feat he repeated in 1978 when he was named the National League MVP. He also paced the NL in slugging percentage (.585), on-base plus slugging (.979), and total bases (340) in his MVP campaign. This was in spite of a collision at home plate with John Stearns during a game against the Mets on June 30, 1978, in which Parker fractured his jaw and cheekbone; he wore a specially constructed facemask in order to minimize his time away from the lineup.
The Pirates rewarded him with baseball’s first million-dollar annual contract. The following year, he was an instrumental part of the Pirates “We Are Family” World Series championship team.
During a game in 1979, he ruptured the seams on a ball he battered, earning the reputation for knocking the literal cover off the ball. It was also in 1979 when he had one of his most iconic moments, throwing Brian Downing out at the plate in the All-Star Game in Seattle when he threw a strike to catcher Gary Carter in the air from mid-range right field.
In 1979, his relationship with some Pirates fans soured, as fans didn’t think he was playing to his million dollar contract. After 11 standout seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates – with whom he won a World Series, a National League MVP award, multiple Gold Gloves, and 2 batting titles – the “Cobra” signed with Cincinnati as a free agent in December 1983.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Dave Parker. A beloved member of the Pirates family, ‘The Cobra’ was one of the most dominating and intimidating players to ever wear a Pirates uniform,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “All of us who grew up in the ‘70s remember how special Dave was. He was an All-Star, a Gold Glover, a batting champion, a National League MVP and a critical part of the 1979 Pirates World Series Championship team. It was our honor to welcome Dave and his family back to Pittsburgh to celebrate his career as part of the inaugural class of the Pirates Hall of Fame.
“He had a big personality and his passing has left an even bigger void with all who knew him. Our hearts go out to his wife, Kellye, and his family.”
He played 4 seasons with the Reds from 1984-87, compiling a .281 batting average, 107 home runs, and 432 RBI. During that time, he was a 2-time All-Star and 2-time Silver Slugger Award winner.
Following his time in Cincinnati, Parker went on to play in parts of five more Major League seasons with Oakland, Milwaukee, California, and Toronto.
