Never forget the Cobra - a nod to Dave Parker

The date of June 28 now has a special meaning for the Pittsburgh Pirates. That will be the day former Pirate and Hall of Famer passed away. His death brought great sadness to Pirates fans everywhere and former teammates. What makes his passing more tragic is the fact that he was just voted into the Hall of Fame by the Classic Era Baseball Committee last December and now it is up to his family to present him at the Hall of Fame ceremonies on July 27 in Cooperstown, New York.

A native of Grenada, Mississippi, Parker had moved to Cincinnati, Ohio as a youth. He was a two-sport athlete in high school starring in football but also played baseball. After a football injury, his attention turned solely to baseball. In 1970 at the annual baseball amateur draft Parker was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 14th round. It was believed he was potential successor to the great Roberto Clemente in right field. Parker’s throwing was nearly as lethal as Clemente’s. Looking at his early photos, Dave Parker appeared as an intimidating, superb athlete. 

Dave Parker made his Major League debut with the Pirates on July 12, 1973, seven months after the death of his predecessor Clemente. That season he played in 54 games and batted .288. He would not become a regular starter until the 1975 season when he played in 148 games and his batting average was .308 that came with 25 homeruns and 101 RBIs, A big man, Parker also stole 38 bases that season. 

Over the course of his 19-year professional career, Dave Parker led the league in several categories for one season. He won the batting title twice first in 1977 with a .338 mark and then a season later when he hit .334. That 1978 season with the Pirates saw him win the National League Most Valuable Player Award as he led the league not just in batting but also in slugging percentage (.585), and on-base slugging percentage (.979), OPS+ (166-this is calculated with a percentage beginning with 100 then anything over that is the percentage of how much better the player is than the league average thus, Parker was 66% better). 

Parker was also the leader in 1978 in rOBA with a .441 average (run-based on-base average), total bases (340) and intentional walks (23). His WAR number of 7.0 also led the National League. The season before Parker also led the league in hits (215) and doubles with 44. His first full season in 1975 produced a league leading slugging average of .541. 

Parker would say goodbye to the Pirates after the 1983 season when he became a free agent and decided to sign a contract with his hometown Cincinnati Reds. In 1986 he was the only National League player to play in all 162 games. The year before he led the league in doubles as a Red with 42. He also led in RBIs with 125. His 350 total bases was also the best in the N.L. Parker was not done there as a leader with his 24 intentional walks at the top of the heap.

In his 162-game season, he was the leader in total bases with 304. Dave Parker was an integral part of the “We are Family” World Series champion Pirates in 1979. This would not be his last World Series ring. The Reds sent Parker packing after the 1987 season making a trade to the Oakland A’s which saw Parker now playing in Oakland and receiving in return Jose Rijo and Tim Birtsas. The trade was made on December 8, 1987. 

In Oakland, the Athletics won the 1989 World Series, a season that saw Dave Parker hit just .264 with only 22 home runs as he had suffered several injuries, and his ongoing age appeared to play a factor. After that championship 1989 season, Parker was again a free agent and signed on with the Milwaukee Brewers. Now playing in the Designate Hitter position, Parker bounced back in 1990 hitting .289, smacking 21 homeruns, and was named as a reserve to the National League All-Star team. 

Parker was once again the victim of a trade in 1991 when Milwaukee traded him to the California Angels in exchange for Dante Bichette. With the Angels, Parker failed to make it through the 1991 season being released on September 7. The Toronto Blue Jays signed Dave Parker to a contract as they found themselves in the American League pennant race and brought him onboard as an insurance player. 

As crazy as it sounds, Parker signed with Toronto for the league minimum wage of just $11,500. Perhaps this was a steal for Blue Jays General Manager Pat Gillick because in 19 games to the end of the season, Parker hit .324. Because of Major League Baseball rules, Parker was not permitted to play in the postseason. When the season concluded he was once again a free agent, but no team showed any interest, and he retired. 

In 19 seasons, Dave Parker played for six teams, 11 of those in Pittsburgh. Another four were with the Reds, two with Oakland, and one each in Milwaukee, with the Angels, and in Toronto. As a Pirate, Dave Parker hit .305 with 166 home runs, 758 RBIs, 123 stolen bases, 298 doubles, 62 triples, 728 runs scored, and played in 301 games. Seven times he made the All-Star game in his career and won three Gold Glove awards.

For his entire career, Dave Parker is heading into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown for good reason. His lifetime average was .290 and he hit 339 home runs. With 2,712 hits he fell a few hundred short of the coveted 3,000 hit mark. Add on 75 triples and 526 doubles. Additionally, Parker knocked in 1,493 RBIs. Average these out and per season he averaged 142 hits per season. His home run percentage was nearly 18 each year. RBIs is 78. But keep in mind, his later years brought his numbers down significantly.

While Dave Parker was said to be Roberto Clemente’s successor, like Roberto, Parker was well known as well for his defensive prowess. From 1976 through the 1977 season Parker led the National League in putouts both seasons. In 1977 he had 381 from right field and another eight playing elsewhere in the outfield. Also, in ’77 he led the league in assists but also in errors. Parker having made nine double plays that led the N.L. 

Inn his 18 seasons playing the field Dave Parker found himself in rightfield for 16 of those, left field in three seasons, four seasons saw him at first base, he manned center field in another two and actually played one game at second base. Of the seven All-Star appearances from Parker, he made that annual game in 1977, 1979, 1980, and 198 as the starting right fielder. He was a reserve in 1985, 1986, and 1990. 

Counting his M.V.P. award, Dave Parker won 16 various awards. He won the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game in 1985. In comparing Dave Parker to his predecessor and the great one, Roberto Clemente, here’s what I found:

• The number of games played by each is close (Clemente-2,433, Parker-2,466).
• Clemente leads in hits 3,000 to 2,712.
• Parker hit more career homeruns (339-240).
• Dave Parker had more RBIs (1,493-1,305).
• Clemente’s .317 average tops Parker’s .290.
• Parker stole 154 bases in his career, Roberto 83.
• Both men are in the Hall of Fame, and both inducted after their passing.
• Parker and Clemente each own two World Series rings. 
• Roberto Clemente was an all-star 15 times, Parker seven.
• Both players were named Most Valuable Player once.
• Clemente won four batting titles, Parker two. 

Defensively, it’s no match. Roberto Clemente won 12 gold gloves and Parker just three.

Clemente has one more trophy that Parker does not, a World Series Most Valuable Player award.

As Dave Parker, the “Cobra” wore jersey number 39 his entire career, there are suggestions that his number should be retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Only nine numbers have been retired by the team representing past players. Those nine are Billy Meyer (1), Ralph Kiner (4), Willie Stargell (8), Bill Mazeroski (9), Paul Waner (11), Pie Traynor (20), Roberto’s 21, Honus Wagner (33), and legendary manager Danny Murtaugh’s 40. On the 2025 roster of the Pirates is Nick Gonzales who is wearing number 39. However, he strongly believes it should be retired in honor of the late Dave Parker. Gonzales is fully ready to give up the number and wear a different one.

Said Gonzales:

“It just meant a little more playing today with that number. Personally, I think it should be retired. I think I should get a new number, honestly. I think that might happen at some point when some numbers open up. I think that numbers should be retired for sure.”

This comment came after the Pirates’ June 28 victory over the New York Mets and the same day on which Parker lost his life. Parker had been suffering for years from Parkinson’s Disease and in 2022 he was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame with a raucous crowed cheering him on at PNC Park. Then last season, in honor of the 45th anniversary of the 1979 World Series champions, Parker came back to PNC but had to take the field in a wheelchair. 

There were two legendary moments for Dave Parker in his baseball career. 

• 1979 was a great year for Pittsburgh and especially Dave Parker. Not only did he and the team because Major League Baseball champions, but there was also a single game that saw Dave Parker hit a ball so hard to the outfield that the cover of the ball was torn off making it difficult to throw the ball accurately back to the infield.
  
  
• Then in the All-Star game where Parker was named Most Valuable Player, one play alone placed him into legendary status. Yankee player Graig Nettles hit a single into right field where Parker fielded the ball and threw an absolute cannon throw to Gary Carter, playing catcher who subsequently caught the ball on the fly tagging out Brian Downing who was attempting to score. You can watch the video of the play below.

https://youtu.be/1PH6XJypKno?si=s1RlcxDKSmocSPNE



It will be both an incredibly sad day but happy day on July 27 as Dave Parker is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame where his bust and story will remain forever but it’s tragic that he cannot accept the honor for himself.