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Dave Parker had swagger the very first time he stepped on the baseball field for the Pittsburgh Pirates. As a rookie in 1973, he made the Pirates the season after the team lost all-time great Roberto Clemente when his plane crashed during a humanitarian mission.
We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker.
A legendary Pirate, Parker spent 11 years in a Pirates uniform, winning 2 batting titles, an MVP award and a World Series Championship in 1979.
The Cobra was part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame… pic.twitter.com/UuikGxw6dI
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 28, 2025
Few knew that Parker would turn into the Pirates leader and eventually become the most intimidating player in baseball for a five-year period. But he had the swing, the speed, the arm and the confidence to take over the leadership role on baseball's best hitting team.
The all-time great outfielder died Saturday, and the Pirates announced his death shortly before the team took the field to play the New York Mets.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker, a legendary Pirate,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting's statement read. “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.”
Parker's superior ability was not apparent right from the start, because the Pirates had were a winning team before he arrived on the scene. They had one of the game's greatest players in Willie Stargell, and Parker waited his turn. And when his turn came, Dave Parker took over the game the way few players have.
His reward was coming a month from now. Nearly 34 years after his last game, Parker is going into the Hall of Fame. He could have gotten in five years after his retirement, or 10 or 15 years. But he was not recognized until he was voted in last December.
Parker put together brilliant numbers in his career
He clearly deserved to go to the Cooperstown shrine earlier. A strong argument can be made that Parker was the best player in baseball for a five-year period from 1975 through 1979. He was a good player in his earlier years and he remained an excellent player in the years that followed, but it's difficult to find anyone that was better than those five seasons.
Parker won the 1978 NL MVP, two World Series championships, two batting titles and he was an All-Star selection seven times during his 19-year career. His athleticism and power were evident every time Parker stepped on the field. So was his confidence.
The Cobra had numbers that few others could match. He is one of the few Hall of Famers who had at least 500 doubles, 300 home runs, 150 steals and 2,700 hits.
All-Star Game hero
There was a time that Major League Baseball insiders said the All-Star Game was made for Willie Mays because he was a brilliant 5-tool player. It was much the same for Parker, who often dominated when he had a chance to play with the best players in the game.
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In the 1979 All-Star Game, Parker was playing right field for the National League in Seattle's Kingdome. The National League dominated the game in those days, having won seven All-Star Games in a row and 15 of the previous 16. The American League was desperate for a win, and they made no secret of their resentment of the NL opponents.
Do yourself a favor and watch these Dave Parker highlights a few times tonight. In an All-Star Game. An absolute rocket for an arm. Incredible talent. pic.twitter.com/Ff2NA6KEFv
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) June 28, 2025
In the bottom of the 8th inning with the score tied at 6-6, Brian Downing of the California Angels was on second base with two outs. Cubs reliever Bruce Sutter was on the mound and Graig Nettles of the New York Yankees lined a base hit deep into the right field corner that Parker fielded cleanly.
It appeared that Downing would score the go-ahead run. Parker was not about to go along with that. He fired a seed to home plate and Expos catcher Gary Carter nailed Downing with relative ease.
The National League would score a run in the top of the ninth and that meant another win in the series. Parker was a hero to other stars because he made a play that few others — even All-Stars — could have even thought of making.
The Cobra was always charismatic
There was a certain charisma to his presence. He attracted the cameras in a manner similar to Muhammad Ali when he was at his peak. Those cameras had to watch Parker because if they focused on someone else, they just might miss one of the greatest plays they could have captured.
Parker's best year came in the 1978 season. He was a terror at the plate, batting a league-leading .334 with 30 home runs, 117 runs batted in and 20 stolen bases. The year before, he led the league with a .338 average while belting 21 home home runs and knocking in 88 runs.
After 11 seasons with the Pirates, he would play four more years with the Cincinnati Reds, two years with the Oakland A's and additional stints with the Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays.
His World Series titles came with the Pirates in '79 and the A's 10 years later. By the time he was with Oakland, he was no longer in his prime, but his home run in Game 1 of the World Series that year helped set the tone for the A's four-game sweep of the Giants.
He was a brilliant five-tool player who is finally getting his due and getting into the Hall of Fame. It's a shame that the moment didn't come when he had a chance to enjoy it.
