Dave Parker, arguably the greatest player to wear a MLB uniform during the late 1970s, passed away today at the age of 74 of complications of Parkinson's Disease.
Parker's passing comes less than a month before he was due to be formally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. I feared this might come to pass when the Classic Baseball Committee elected Parker along with the late Dick Allen last December:
Although Parker is still with us at age 73, he has been battling Parkinson's Disease for about a dozen years and is now wheelchair bound. For someone with a terminal disease, seven months is a long time. I truly hope Parker will be able to enjoy what will be his last moment in the sun.
Sadly, that moment will not come to pass for Parker even if he does get a long overdue plaque.
The Cobra's career is one that deserves a celebration. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 14th round of the 1970 MLB Draft, Parker would make his MLB debut with the Bucs in 1973. He would become an everyday player in 1975 when he finished third in NL MVP as led the league in slugging percentage (.541) along with a .308 batting average, 25 HR and 101 RBI. Two years later, Parker would win the NL batting title hitting .338 while also leading the Senior Circuit in hits (215) and doubles (44). Parker would also win the first of his three career Gold Gloves for his sterling defense in right field. He would earn the first of his seven career All-Star Team selections (six in the NL).
In 1978, Parker would reach the pinnacle of his career when he won the NL MVP with his second consecutive NL batting title (.334) and leading the NL in SLG (.585) and OPS (.979) and total bases (340).
Prior to the 1979 season, Parker signed a 5-year, $5 million contract making him the first player in MLB history to earn $1 million a season. However, it was at this point that Bucs fans began to sour on him despite his contributions to the "We Are Famalee" team which won the 1979 World Series as well as a MVP performance in that year's All-Star Game in Seattle when he gunned down Brian Downing at home plate with some help from future Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter of the Montreal Expos. However, Parker declined to attend the team's World Series victory parade.
Parker's play would diminish during the early 1980s in part due to use of cocaine. He was among several players within the Pirates organization who was called to testify during the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985. This very likely cost him a second NL MVP that season amid a career resurgence with his hometown Cincinnati Reds. Parker led the NL in RBI (125) and doubles (42) while hitting .312 with a career high 34 HR. However, Parker would finish runner up in NL MVP balloting to St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Willie McGee.
After four productive seasons in Cincinnati, the Reds sent Parker to the Oakland A's where he would play in two more World Series in 1988 and 1989 earning his second World Series ring in the latter year. Parker would spend one season with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1990 earning his final All-Star Team selection before finishing his MLB career in 1991 which he split with the California Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays.
In 19 MLB seasons, Parker collected 2712 hits in 2466 games for a lifetime batting average of .290 with 339 HR and 1493 RBI along with his 7 All-Star appearances, 3 Gold Gloves, 2 NL batting titles, 2 World Series rings, one All-Star Game MVP and one NL MVP. That is a Hall of Fame career and it is a damn shame that Dave Parker won't be able to enjoy it. R.I.P.
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