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Hall-of-Famer Dave Parker passed away at age 74 today after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, as the Pirates announced just prior to the start of today’s game. The sad news comes less than a month before Parker was officially set to be inducted into Cooperstown, as Parker and Dick Allen (like Parker, a former MVP and seven-time All-Star) were voted into the Hall by the Era Committee last winter.
A veteran of 19 Major League seasons from 1973-1991, “the Cobra” was one of the sport’s most feared hitters for the majority of his career. Parker batted .290/.339/.471 over 10184 career plate appearances and 2466 games, amassing 339 homers and 2712 career hits. Along with his seven All-Star nods and the 1978 NL MVP Award, Parker was a two-time batting champion and a three-time Gold Glover. With 154 steals also on his resume, Parker was a legitimate five-tool threat during his prime years, before knee problems sapped Parker’s speed and ability to regularly play the field.
This spectacular career arose from a modest start as a 14th-round pick for the Pirates in the 1970 draft. A part-timer in his first two MLB seasons, Parker emerged as an everyday force in 1975, joining forces with Pittsburgh legend Willie Stargell and other notables of the era like Al Oliver, Bill Robinson, and Richie Zisk to wreak havoc in the middle of the lineup.
The Pirates had several outstanding teams during Parker’s 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, but back in the days when only the two division winners reached the postseason, playoff success was harder to come by. The Buccos won three division titles during Parker’s tenure but didn’t reach the World Series until 1979, when the “We Are Family” Pirates overcame a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Orioles and capture the franchise’s most recent championship. Parker naturally played a big role in the title run, hitting .341/.396/.415 over 48 postseason PA to help the Pirates capture the crown.
Parker also achieved a notable contractual milestone before the 1979 season even started, as he signed a five-year, $5MM contract with the Pirates that was (at the time) the sport’s biggest contract. Technically the deal made Parker the first player to earn $1MM per season, even if some deferred money within the deal left his actual annual average value south of the seven-figure mark.
That contract led to increased expectations, and while Parker’s outgoing and bombastic personality made him a fan favorite during the good times, some in Pittsburgh started to view Parker as arrogant when the Pirates’ play tailed off after 1979 and Parker’s own numbers started to diminish. Parker’s knee problems and a cocaine addiction were clearly impacting his performance, and he left Pittsburgh to sign with the Reds following the 1983 season.
The second act of Parker’s career had several more memorable moments, including a big comeback year in 1985 that saw him lead the NL in total bases, doubles, and RBI while finishing second in NL MVP voting. Parker followed up his four seasons in Cincinnati with two seasons with the pennant-winning Athletics in 1988 and 1989. While not quite the premium bat of his prime years, the Cobra still helped the A’s win the World Series in 1989. The move to the American League also allowed Parker to become a designated hitter for the first time in his career, and he was essentially a DH-only player with plenty of pop still in his bat from 1989-91 with the A’s, Brewers, Angels, and Blue Jays.
After retirement, Parker had moved into coaching, and spent a long time waiting for his eventual call to Cooperstown. Parker never received much support from the writers during his 15 years on the BBWAA ballot, with his cocaine habit and his involvement in the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials often viewed as the key reason for the lack of voter support. It is bittersweet that Parker will be a posthumous induction at next month’s ceremony in Cooperstown, but he at least received the satisfaction of learning last December that he had finally been properly minted as a Hall of Famer.
All of us at MLB Trade Rumors share our condolences with Parker’s family, friends, and many fans.
