Former Cincinnati Reds’ right fielder Dave Parker has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame alongside seven-time All-Star, Dick Allen. They’ll be inducted during a ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., Hall of Fame on July 27, 2025.
“Parker was named on 14 of 16 ballots and Allen on 13 of 16 ballots as the only candidates to reach the 75-percent threshold necessary for election,” according to a news release.
Parker, 73, won two World Championships in his 19 big league seasons. Nicknamed “The Cobra,” he was born in Mississippi and grew up in Cincinnati. He attended Cincinnati’s Courter Technical High School, where he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970 in the 14th round of the MLB June Amateur Draft. He made his major league debut in 1973.
Parker won back-to-back National League batting titles in 1977-78 and earned MVP honors in 1978 as well. He won the World Series with the Pirates in 1979, and again 10 years later with the Athletics. He’s a three-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field, and was known during his time with the Reds as a mentor to Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. He became a free agent in 1983 and was drafted by his hometown team.
At age 68, Parker was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He lives with his wife, Kellye, in Cincinnati. Allen died in 2020.
Parker’s time with the Reds was brief compared to his 11-year run as a Pirate, but he made an impression as a Reds player that led to him being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2014.
He was with the Reds from 1984 through 1987. The 1985 campaign was Parker’s best while wearing a Reds uniform. He batted .312 and led the National League in doubles (42), RBI (125) and total bases (350). In Cincinnati, Parker played in 631 games and had a batting average of .281, hitting 107 home runs.
Parker’s impressive numbers in 1985 resulted in him being second in the voting for National League MVP. He was edged out of a second MVP award that year by Cardinals outfielder Willie McGee.
In his career, Parker averaged a .290 batting average with a total of 339 home runs in more than 2,400 games. Parker, the 1978 National League MVP, was also a seven-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, three-time Silver Slugger winner, two-time NL batting champion and a two-time World Series champion in his 19-year MLB career.
Additionally, Parker was the first professional athlete to earn $1 million per year, paving the way for athletes of all races across all sports.
After his four years with the Reds, Parker also played with Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and California Angels, which became the Los Angeles Angels.
In his career, Parker averaged a .290 batting average with a total of 339 home runs in more than 2,400 games.
Parker was honored in South Cumminsville on November 1, 2023. The City of Cincinnati, Cumminsville Community Council, and the Cincinnati Reds honorarily named Borden Street at Elmore Street near his childhood home as Dave Parker Way.
“I’m really honored to be here today, because this is where it all started,” Parker said at the street naming ceremony. “I’ve seen people today I used to play baseball with, go to school with. It was a pleasure growing up here. And I drive through here on occasion just to reminisce, because this is it. This is where it started and made me the individual that I am.”
Parker’s family and other former Reds players attended the ceremony alongside Parker.
The street renaming honor also recognize Parker for his contributions to the Cincinnati community and his lasting impact on baseball.
Cincinnati City Councilmember Mark Jeffreys, during the street renaming ceremony, pulled out a Dave Parker baseball card, the first baseball card he had as a kid, and said, “Dave has always been a personal hero of mine and an icon. So, when the South Cumminsville Community Council approached me wanting to honor him where he grew up, I said it would be my honor. The amount that he’s given back to the city of Cincinnati is phenomenal.
“It’s an absolute privilege to sponsor this street unveiling in his name. I really appreciate him for touching my life as a young child and his everlasting contribution to the great sport of baseball and to our city.”
Parker was accompanied by his wife, Kellye, and several members of his family. The whole event felt like a family affair with all the stories told and love shown to the man known as “The Cobra.”
“Congrats to Dave on this well-deserved honor,” Reds President and COO Phil Castellini said. “The Reds are so proud the neighborhood includes you as a marquee of its importance in Reds history. It’s performances such as yours where you have met life’s ups and downs with determination, grace and grit that will inspire the next great player to emerge from our local ballfields.”
Parker has been battling Parkinson’s disease for over a decade and during that period has poured much of his time, energy and resources into the Dave Parker39 Foundation. The all-volunteer, non-profit organization has raised thousands of dollars over the years in the effort to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease and make life better for those living with the disease.
Feature Image: Dave Parker during his time with the Cincinnati Reds. Photo by Michael Mitchell
Congratulations To The Cobra Dave Parker. He was an Awesome Pro Baseball Player. B.HO.F Legend Be Blessed Mr. Dave Parker you were The Greatest!!