Dave Parker’s teammates, Hall of Famers, current Pirates react to his death: ‘One of the greatest to ever do it’
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Dave Parker’s teammates, Hall of Famers, current Pirates react to his death: ‘One of the greatest to ever do it’
Dave Parker, a Hall of Famer and former National League MVP, died on Saturday. The 19-year major leaguer had battled Parkinson’s disease for nearly 15 years. His former teammates, fellow Hall of Famers and current Pirates players voiced their sympathies as well. Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in December of 2013. He was a three-time National League batting title winner in the late 1970s and early ’80s, and won the batting title three times in a row in 1978 and 1979. He also won the World Series in 1979 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, which included winning the championship on their second try in that season. He played with the Cincinnati Reds, the Athletics, the Angels, Brewers and Blue Jays, in addition to Major League Baseball, during his MLB career, from 1977-80. “He was probably Superman to a lot of people when he played,” current Pirates player Andrew McCutchen said. “It’s a tough thing to hear, but he had been battling Parkinson’s for quite some time”
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, the teams with whom Parker played the majority of his MLB career, expressed their condolences. As did the Athletics, Angels, Brewers and Blue Jays, in addition to Major League Baseball.
Plenty of Parker’s former teammates, fellow Hall of Famers and current Pirates players voiced their sympathies as well.
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Fellow Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven and Parker were teammates on the Pirates from 1977-80, which included winning the World Series in 1979.
“What a sad [day] as my former teammate and friend, HOF’er Dave Parker, passed away,” Blyleven posted on social media. “He fought Parkinson’s for years. Our condolences to his wife Kellye, his family and everyone that had the great opportunity to be with him. RIP Cobra.”
“Man, I am crushed,” former teammate Dave Stewart told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “He’s one of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had. He had such a presence when he walked into the room.”
Parker and Stewart played together on the Oakland Athletics in 1988 and 1989, getting to the World Series in both seasons and winning a championship on their second try.
Keith Hernandez didn’t play on any teams with Parker, but was certainly a peer as both were top major leaguers in the late 1970s through the 1980s.
“The best player of the late ’70s and early ’80s,” Hernandez told the New York Post’s Mike Puma. “Great boisterous peer.
“He used to say, “When the leaves turn brown, I will be wearing the [batting title] crown.” Until I usurped his crown in ’79. He was a better player than me. RIP.”
Hernandez did indeed win the National League batting title in 1979 with a .344 average after Parker won it for the previous two consecutive seasons, batting .338 in 1977 and .334 in 1978.
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Fellow Hall of Famer Frank Thomas remembered fielding a ground ball from Parker at first base early in his major league career.
“RIP, Dave Parker, the Cobra!” Thomas posted on social media. “One of the greatest to ever do it. Love watching you as a kid. I will always remember that first line drive ground ball you hit me in the show right off my chest.”
“You said, welcome to the show, kid,” he continued. “That big smile and the finger point trot. #Legendary.”
Eric Davis, Parker’s teammate with the Reds, issued a statement because he was too distraught to talk, according to Nightengale. The thought that Parker wouldn’t be alive for his Hall of Fame induction was too upsetting.
“He probably had more impact on young players than any player I’ve ever been around,” Davis said.
Current Reds manager Terry Francona played with Parker on the 1987 Reds and 1990 Brewers, remembered getting to play with a star he long admired.
“He was a big, lovable… I caught him toward the end of his career,” Francona recalled. “He was funny, you could mess with him.
“Not too much,” he added with a laugh.
Pirates veteran Andrew McCutchen shared his thoughts on Parker with MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf, acknowledging what he meant to Pittsburgh fans.
“It’s a tough thing to hear, but he had been battling Parkinson’s for quite some time,” McCutchen said. “It was rough to see him go through that. I just hope now he’s in a a better place and not having to worry about any of that stuff anymore.”
“Just thinking about his family and the fanbase who may have had any type of interaction with him, childhoods,” he added. “He was probably Superman to a lot of people when he played.”
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McCutchen’s teammate, Nick Gonzales, currently wears the No. 39 jersey that Parker wore during his 11 seasons with the Pirates (and throughout his career) and thinks it should be retired.
“It just meant a little bit more today, playing with that number,” Gonzales said on Saturday. “I think it should be retired and I should get a new number, honestly.”
“That might happen at some point,” he continued. “For what he did for this community… it’s an honor just to wear it on my back.”
Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in December by the Classic Era Committee, earning votes on 14 of 16 ballots. He will be officially inducted into Cooperstown on July 27.
Dave Parker, Baseball Hall of Famer and former NL MVP, dies at 74
Dave Parker won the 1978 National League MVP award with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also won World Series championships with the 1979 Pirates and 1989 Athletics. Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in December by the Classic Era Committee. He will be officially inducted into Cooperstown on July 27. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012 and led efforts to raise awareness and money to fight the disorder through his Dave Parker 39 Foundation. He batted .290/.339/.471 with 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, 526 doubles, 1,493 RBI and 154 stolen bases during his MLB career from 1979-1991. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Parker’s death before their game on Saturday. He played for six teams during his 19 major-league seasons, 11 of those seasons with the Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels and Toronto Blue Jays.
Hall of Famer Dave Parker has died at the age of 74. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Parker’s death before their game on Saturday.
Parker played for six teams during his 19 major-league seasons, 11 of those seasons with the Pirates. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels and Toronto Blue Jays.
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During his MLB career from 1979-1991, Parker batted .290/.339/.471 with 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, 526 doubles, 1,493 RBI and 154 stolen bases. He won World Series championships with the 1979 Pirates and 1989 Athletics, was a seven-time All-Star and earned consecutive National League batting titles in 1978 and 1979.
In 1979, Parker won the NL MVP award with a .334 average and .970 OPS with 30 homers, 34 doubles, 117 RBI and 20 steals. He finished second in NL MVP voting in 1985 with the Reds, leading the league with 125 RBI.
Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in December by the Classic Era Committee, earning votes on 14 of 16 ballots. He will be officially inducted into Cooperstown on July 27.
“I was a five-tool player. I could do them all,” Parker said after his election, via the Associated Press. “I never trotted to first base. I don’t know if people noticed that, but I ran hard on every play.”
Nicknamed “The Cobra” because of his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and quick bat, Parker was the Pirates’ 14th-round draft pick in 1970 out of Courter Tech High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. A knee injury during his senior year prevented him from following through on football ambitions — and likely resulted in his lower-round selection — but that was baseball’s fortunate gain.
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Following nearly four seasons in the minor leagues (hitting a combined .315 with an .854 OPS and 48 homers), Parker was called up and split time in right field with Richie Zisk for legendary Pirates star Roberto Clemente, who died tragically on Dec. 31, 1972. However, he claimed the position for himself by 1975 with a breakout season, batting .308 with an .898 OPS, 25 homers, 35 doubles and 101 RBI.
Parker also showed off an outstanding throwing arm in right field. From 1975-79, he led MLB with 72 outfield assists. Parker notched 26 assists in 1977 and finished his career with 143. He won three Gold Gloves during his career. (During his final four MLB seasons, Parker was largely a designated hitter in the American League due to deteriorating knees.)
In 2012, Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and led efforts to raise awareness and money to fight the disorder through his Dave Parker 39 Foundation.
“There’s no fear,” Parker told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in 2013. “I’ve had a great life. I always dreamt of playing baseball, and I played… My fingerprints are on the baseball industry. I feel good about that. I have nothing to feel bad about.”
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Parker never received more than 24% of the vote while he was eligible for Hall of Fame voting, and lasted 15 years on the ballot. Many believed his involvement in the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials due to his cocaine use (and an initial suspension by then-commissioner Peter Ueberroth) affected his candidacy.
“We join the baseball family in remembering Dave Parker,” said Jane Forbes Clark, Hall of Fame chairperson of the board, said in a statement. “His legacy will be one of courage and leadership, matched only by his outstanding accomplishments on the field.