PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates Hall of Famer Dave Parker passed away Saturday at the age of 74. The tragic news comes just about a month away from Parker's induction date.
The Pirates shared this via X on his passing.
"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 class in 2022, and will be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown next month."
93.7 the Fan's Jeff Hathhorn wrote this story about Parker back in December when it was announced he would be inducted.
While he played with his hometown Reds, along with the Angles, A's, Brewers and Blue Jays, Dave Parker's bust when he is enshired in Cooperstown this summer will feature him wearing a Pirates hat. Parker played 11 of his 19 career seasons with the Pirates.
He’s waited, and waited, and waited while other players who had a similar or lessor impact in their career’s get into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Sunday, at baseball’s Winter Meetings, the President of the Hall announced Dave Parker is finally joining his peers.
Parker received 14 of 16 votes by a committee that looks after those who have been overlooked for induction. Parker needed 12 to be elected.
“Yeah, I cried,” Parker said. “It took a few minutes, ‘cause I don’t cry.”
Before it was cool to use the term five-tool player, Parker was the picture of it. Like previous Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente, Parker could do it all. He had the strongest arm in the game showcased at the 1979 All-Star Game when he threw a laser from right field and nailed Brian Downing at the plate. He won three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers.
At 6’5”, 230 pounds he stole 154 bases in his career with back-to-back 20-steal seasons in 1978 and 1979. He twice led the majors in batting average, hitting over .300 for five straight seasons. Parker led the majors in doubles twice and hit over 20 home runs in a season nine times. He won the Home Run Derby in 1985.
Nine times Parker was top 20 in voting for the MVP, five times in the top five and he won the award with the Pirates in 1978 batting .334 with 32 doubles, 12 triples, 30 home runs, 117 RBI, 20 stolen bases, .394 on-base, led the majors with a .585 slugging percentage and .979 OPS.
Between 1975 and 1980, no player instilled more fear than David Gene Parker, to prove that he was walked intentionally walked 50 times from 1977-79.
“As a player, I want to be remembered as a guy that threw it all on the field,” Parker said. “Because I never trotted to first base, I don’t know if people noticed that. But, I ran hard on every play. So, I enjoyed playing in front of the New York fanbase, Philadelphia, anywhere. Now, I always got their respect because I played it like it should have been played: hard.”
The career numbers-.290/.339/.810, 1272 runs, 2712 hits, 526 doubles, 75 triples, 339 home runs, 1493 RBI, 154 stolen bases, 143 assists (26 in 1976).
Now that will be placed on a plaque and Parker, who has Parkinson’s disease, was able to know he is getting the recognition for his career that he deserved.
Bucco buddies
Parker will be the 45th former Pirates player, manager or executive in the Hall of Fame. He will be the 14th inducted to play a majority of his career in Pittsburgh. The ceremony is July 27, 2025 in Cooperstown, NY.