The Pirates announced the news of Parker’s death before their game against the Mets on Saturday, June 28
Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Parker, nicknamed “The Cobra,” has died. He was 74.
News of Parker’s death was announced by his former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in a social media post shared on Saturday, June 28.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker,” the statement began.
“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 statement continued. “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.”
The Pirates additionally informed fans of Parker’s death before the start of their game against the New York Mets on Saturday and held a moment of silence for the late athlete.
No further details about Parker’s death were provided.
Nicknamed “the Cobra” for his speed and agility, Parker played more than 19 seasons in the major leagues. By the end of his career, he had hit 339 home runs and stolen 154 bases, with a batting average of .290.
The seven-time All-Star played with the Pirates from 1973 to 1983. During that time, he received three Gold Gloves, per The New York Times.
“I could do it all,” Parker said in a 2019 interview with The Athletic, per the Times. “I vocalized quite a bit. People tell me that I ‘played angry.’ That’s what I did, and it worked for me. But I always played hard, and I respected my fellow man. I did everything on the field that I could.”
Parker didn’t always know he was destined for baseball greatness. The athlete played football in high school in Cincinnati, but gave up the sport following a knee injury during his senior year. He was drafted by the Pirates in 1970, and had firmly established himself as a formidable right outfielder within several years.
Parker left the Pirates in 1983 and later signed with his hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. He played for several other teams before officially retiring in 1991.
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Parker later coached for the Los Angeles Angels and St. Louis Cardinals and served as a special instructor for the Pirates. He revealed that he was battling Parkinson’s disease in 2013, per the Times.
Parker was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in December 2024, and he will be inducted posthumously on July 27, per MLB.com.
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