Dave Parker, Pirates great and Hall of Famer, dies at 74

Dave Parker, the powerful and charismatic outfielder affectionately known as 'The Cobra', has died at the age of 74, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Saturday. His passing comes just weeks before he was set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Pirates honored Parker with a moment of silence before their game against the New York Mets. A towering 6-foot-5 presence with a booming bat, Parker debuted in 1973 and spent 19 seasons in the majors, including 11 with Pittsburgh.

Parker was named National League MVP in 1978 and won two World Series titles - one with the Pirates in 1979 and another with the Oakland Athletics in 1989.



A seven-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner in right field, Parker won NL batting titles in 1977 and 1978. He retired with a .290 career average, 339 home runs, and 1,493 RBIs. He also had stints with Cincinnati, Milwaukee, California, and Toronto.

Born in Mississippi and raised in Cincinnati, Parker was a three-sport star in high school before making his mark in baseball. He returned to his hometown to play for the Reds from 1984-87, leading the league in RBIs in 1985 and finishing second in MVP voting.


In 2012, Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by a special committee in December and had expressed deep emotion upon hearing the news. "Yeah, I cried," he said. "It only took a few minutes, because I don’t cry."

The Hall of Fame ceremony in Cooperstown is set for July 27.