Pirates Honor Dave Parker With Uniform Patch

Parker died on June 28 at 74 years old after an 11-year battle with Parkinson's disease, which started in 2012.

He played in 1,301 games for the Pirates from 1973-83, with 1,479 hits, 296 doubles, 62 triples, 166 home runs, 758 RBI, 123 stolen bases and 346 walks. He ranks sixth in franchise history in home runs, eighth in both doubles and 524 extra-base hits and ninth in slugging percentage, .494.

His best season came in 1978, where he hit .334/.394/.585, with 194 hits in 581 at-bats, 32 doubles, 12 triples, 30 home runs, 117 RBI, 20 stolen bases and 57 walks. He won the National League batting title, a Gold Glove Award and the National League MVP.

Parker also won the NL Batting Title in 1977, at .338, his career-high batting average, the Gold Glove Award in 1977 and 1979, plus earned an NL All-Star nod four times in 1977 and 1979-81, with the Pirates.

"The Cobra" excelled in the 1979 World Series, hitting .341 and driving in six RBIs, which bolstered the Pirates over the Batlimore Orioles in seven games, marking their fifth and last championship.

Parker also played for his hometown Cincinnati Reds, 1984-87, the Oakland Athletics, 1988-89, the Milwaukee Brewers in 1990 and both the California Angels and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991.

He would go on to have a successful career after his time with the Pirates, winning the World Series with the A's in 1989. He also earned three more All-Star nods and won three Silver Slugger Awards in 1985, 1986 and 1990, while also leading the NL with 125 RBI in 1985.

Parker earned a spot in the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame in 2022 and also finally earned his enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame for the Class of 2025, donning the Pirates cap in Cooperstown, with a posthumous celebration coming on his induction on July 27.