Dave Parker, a Hall of Fame outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates and five other squads over a 19-year career, died Saturday, the Pirates announced. He was 74.
"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker," Pittsburgh said in a social media statement. "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."
Parker played 11 years for Pittsburgh from 1973 to '83, and was one of the team's stars when it was the class of baseball. In 1978, he was named the National League's MVP after combining a .334/.394/.585 slashline with 30 home runs and 117 RBIs. A year later, he was an All-Star and Gold Glover on the immortal "We Are Family" Pirates—the franchise's last championship team to date.
Parker was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in December via voting from the Classic Baseball Era Committee alongside fellow slugger Dick Allen.
We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Hall of Famer Dave Parker.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 28, 2025
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 Cobra was part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame… pic.twitter.com/UuikGxw6dI
In the 1980s, Parker was ensnared in a wide-ranging drug scandal surrounding a Pittsburgh-area cocaine ring that tarnished his public image. He remained productive into his later years, making three All-Star teams in his 30s with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers.
Parker was a native of Grenada, Miss., though he was raised in Cincinnati and continued to live in the area into recent years.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dave Parker, Hall of Fame Star of 1970s Pirates, Dies at 74.
