Dave Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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
debut
July 12, 1973, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last appearance
October 2, 1991, for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics
Batting average	.290
Hits	2,712
Home runs	339
Runs batted in	1,493
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1973–1983) Cincinnati Reds (1984–1987) Oakland Athletics (1988–1989) Milwaukee Brewers (1990) California Angels (1991) Toronto Blue Jays (1991)
Career highlights and awards
7× All-Star (1977, 1979–1981, 1985, 1986, 1990) 2× World Series champion (1979, 1989) NL MVP (1978) 3× Gold Glove Award (1977–1979) 3× Silver Slugger Award (1985, 1986, 1990) 2× NL batting champion (1977, 1978) NL RBI leader (1985) Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2025
Vote	87.5%
Election Method	Classic Baseball Era Committee

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

Parker was the first American athlete to earn an average of $1 million per year. He signed a five-year, $5 million contract in January 1979. His career achievements include 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, and 1,493 runs batted in. He had a lifetime batting average of .290. Parker was also known for his strong defense in the outfield. He had a powerful arm and won three Gold Glove awards in a row. 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 passed away just 29 days before his induction ceremony.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

David Gene Parker was born in Grenada, Mississippi, on June 9, 1951. He grew up in Cincinnati near Crosley Field. This is where he learned to play baseball in the stadium's parking lots. His father, Dick Parker, worked as a shipping clerk. Dave Parker went to Courter Tech High School. He said football was his favorite sport and he was a star tailback. However, he injured his knee in his senior year and stopped playing football. He was also a baseball star. One of his favorite memories was hitting a home run at Western Hills High School. The ball landed on the roof of a Frisch's restaurant.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates

Parker began his Major League Baseball career in 1973. The Pittsburgh Pirates brought him up from the minor leagues. He had a unique way of warming up before batting. He used a sledgehammer instead of a regular weighted bat. In 1977, Parker became the National League batting champion. He won this title again in 1978. That same year, he was named the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP). During his MVP season, Parker led the National League in slugging percentage (.585) and total bases (340).

He achieved these great stats even after a collision at home plate. This happened on June 30, 1978, against the New York Mets. He broke his jaw and cheekbone. A special hockey mask allowed him to return to play in just over two weeks. The mask made it hard to see pitches, so he tried modified football helmets. He only wore these helmets when running the bases. Other players found his gear unusual, but the league allowed it. He stopped using it in early 1979. Over the years, other players recovering from face injuries used similar equipment. Masked helmets became common in youth baseball.

The next year, the Pirates gave him a five-year contract. This was the first million-dollar-per-year contract in American sports. This big salary increase made some working-class fans in Pittsburgh upset. They were struggling with job losses in the coal and steel industries. They saw millionaires as "greedy." Years later, Parker said fans expected him to hit .330 with 35 home runs. Pitcher Kent Tekulve remembered fans throwing things at him. These included nuts, bolts, batteries, and even a souvenir bat. Parker also faced challenges off the field. He spoke about how Black players received fewer endorsement deals. He believed there were limits on how many Black players could be on the field at once.

Parker's powerful hitting once "knocked the cover off the ball." This made it hard to get the ball back into play. Parker was a key player for the Pirates' 1979 World Series championship team. He was the only Pirate chosen for the United Press International all-star team that year.

In 1981, Parker was seen as one of the game's all-time best players. Authors Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book, "The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time." They noted his success in taking over the right field position from Roberto Clemente.

By the early 1980s, Parker's batting performance slowed down. This was due to injuries and weight issues. The Pirates later had a disagreement with him about his 1979 contract. They settled the matter outside of court.

Later Years in Baseball

After the 1983 season, Parker became a free agent. He signed with the Cincinnati Reds on December 7, 1983. In Cincinnati, his hometown, he played like an All-Star again. In 1985, he had his best season since 1978. He finished with a .312 batting average and 34 home runs. He also led the National League with 125 RBIs and 42 doubles. Parker won the league's first Home Run Derby at the 1985 All-Star Game. He hit six home runs in ten tries. At the end of the season, Parker finished second in the 1985 MVP voting.

After the 1987 season, Cincinnati traded Parker to the Oakland Athletics. This happened on December 8, 1987. In Oakland, Parker played mostly as a designated hitter (DH). This helped him extend his career. He hit .257 with 12 homers in 1988. In 1989, he hit .264 with 22 homers.

Parker won the 1989 World Series with Oakland. On December 3, 1989, he signed a two-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He had a good year as the Brewers' DH. He had a .289 average and 21 home runs. He was chosen as a reserve for the 1990 All-Star Game. The next season, Milwaukee traded Parker to the Angels on March 14, 1991.

Parker's last season was 1991. He played for the California Angels until September 7. The Toronto Blue Jays then signed him on September 14. He played 19 games for the Blue Jays. He hit .324 in limited action as their DH. He did not qualify for the post-season roster. He became a free agent after the season. The Chicago White Sox showed some interest in him in March 1992. But when the Sox signed George Bell, Parker had no other offers.

Career Statistics

In 30 postseason games, Parker batted .234. He had 11 runs, five doubles, three home runs, and 11 RBI.

Life After Baseball and Hall of Fame

After retiring, Parker worked as a first-base coach for the Anaheim Angels in 1997. He was a batting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998. He was elected to the Reds Hall of Fame in 2014. This class also included Ron Oester and Ken Griffey Jr.. In 2012, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Navegantes del Magallanes Hall of Fame that same year. On September 3, 2022, he was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame. He was part of its first group of inductees.

Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on December 8, 2024. He received 87.5% of the votes. His induction ceremony was scheduled for July 27, 2025. However, he passed away 29 days before this event.

Parker had six children. He lived in Loveland, Ohio, with his wife, Kellye. He owned several Popeyes chicken restaurants in Cincinnati for about 22 years. He sold them after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012. He confirmed his diagnosis in 2013. He was involved in raising money to find a cure for Parkinson's through the Dave Parker 39 Foundation.

Parker died from complications of Parkinson's disease on June 28, 2025. He was 74 years old.

See also