Search Results - Parker, Dave

Dave Parker

David Gene Parker (June 9, 1951 – June 28, 2025), nicknamed "the Cobra", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right fielder from 1973 to 1991. A seven-time All-Star, Parker won two National League (NL) batting titles and was the 1978 NL Most Valuable Player. He was a member of two World Series championship teams, winning with the Pittsburgh Pirates in and the Oakland Athletics in .

Parker was the first American athlete to earn an average of $1 million per year, having signed a five-year, $5 million contract in January 1979. Parker's career achievements include 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, 1,493 runs batted in, and a lifetime batting average of .290. Parker was also known as a solid defensive outfielder during the first half of his career with a powerful arm, winning three straight Gold Glove Awards during his prime. From 1975 to 1979, he threw out 72 runners, including 26 in 1977. In , Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He died 29 days before he was to be inducted. Provided by Wikipedia