Pirates icon Dave Parker passes away at age 74

“The Cobra” will be posthumously inducted into Cooperstown July 27.

The sports world was saddened to hear the news of the passing of baseball legend Dave Parker on Saturday afternoon. Parker had a storied career in Major League Baseball that spanned 19 years, but his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates was of course the most notable of his career.

The team had announced the passing of Parker on social media before Saturday’s matchup against the New York Mets. Prior to first pitch everyone in attendance at PNC Park shared a moment of silence to honor the Pirates’ legend. Pirates’ owner Bob Nutting released a statement regarding the late Pirate great.

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Dave Parker. A beloved member of the Pirates family, ‘The Cobra’ was one of the most dominating and intimidating players to ever wear a Pirates uniform. All of us who grew up in the ‘70s remember how special Dave was. He was an All-Star, a Gold Glover, a batting champion, a National League MVP and a critical part of the 1979 Pirates World Series Championship team. It was our honor to welcome Dave and his family back to Pittsburgh to celebrate his career as part of the inaugural class of the Pirates Hall of Fame,” Nutting said.

An all-around talented five-tool player, Parker was drafted in 1970 by the Pirates and made his Major League debut with the club in 1973. He would go on to play 11 years with the Pirates, a span that saw him win three Gold Glove Awards, one World-Series Championship, and was named the National League MVP in 1978.

Parker would go on to play 1,301 games for the Buccos, and became one of the best players of the 1970’s. His incredible .345/.394/.448 slash line in the 1979 World-Series played a pivotal part in the team outlasting the Baltimore Orioles in a seven-game series. A leader on the “We Are Family” squad that took the league by storm in the latter part of the decade, Parker became an icon in pop culture as his swagger was matched only by his incredible play.

A standout in right field with one of the strongest arms of all time, plus incredible power at the plate with batting champion pedigree, Parker was ahead of his time on the diamond as one of the best natural athletes in the game standing at 6’5” and 230 pounds, which was largely unheard of at that point in baseball. He also was a trailblazer in the fact that he was the first baseball player to earn a million dollar yearly salary, and helped to usher in a new era for black athletes in America as that culture was becoming more and more mainstream.

“The Cobra” appeared on 16 BBWAA Hall-Of-Fame ballots before finally being voted into Cooperstown, where he will be posthumously inducted on July 27. Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark released spoke on the impact that Parker had and will continue to have on the game of baseball.

“His legacy will be one of courage and leadership, matched only by his outstanding accomplishments on the field. His election to the Hall of Fame in December brought great joy to him, his family and all the fans who marveled at his remarkable abilities. We will honor his incredible life and career at next month’s Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, where his legacy will be remembered forever.”

Parker is undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in baseball history. When drafted in the fourteenth round of the 1970 draft, there were plenty of expectations when the young rookie finally arrived in Pittsburgh. The Pirates were looking for a new star following the passing of legend Roberto Clemente in December of 1972. With Parker now on board many thought he could be such a player, of course he had his own thoughts on the matter.

“Everybody was talking about me being the next Roberto Clemente. That wasn’t what I was trying to achieve. I was trying to make my mark as the first Dave Parker.”

Parker was certainly one of a kind. He became iconic and well known for his famous one liners, reminiscent of a Muhammad Ali press conference quip. His swagger in the ‘70s and ‘80s made him a huge figure in the classic baseball aesthetic that was taking the counterculture to the forefront, ushering in a new era where baseball players were more than just athletes and were recognized as celebrities off the diamond. From his cigarette pulls in the locker room to his famous ‘Boys Boppin’ t-shirt, very few could be as cool as “The Cobra”.

In 2012 Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and soon after started the Dave Parker 39 Foundation to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s research. Even while publicly battling with that ailment, Parker continued to be a part of Pirates’ baseball and was honored just last season to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the 1979 World-Series team. A packed stadium erupted at the chance to see “The Cobra” one more time in black gold.

Dave Parker left a lasting impact on Major League Baseball and will be sorely missed as one of the greats of the game. The city of Pittsburgh and other cities that got to witness Parker in his playing days all share in the great memories that provided for so many fans.

“When the leaves turn brown, I’ll be wearing the batting crown.”