Pittsburgh Pirates legend Dave Parker has passed away at the age of 74, just a month before he was set to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame after being elected by the Classic Era Committee, the Pirates announced Saturday.
He had been battling Parkinson's disease.
Parker starred in the 1970s for the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the 1978 National League MVP award and back-to-back NL batting titles in 1977-78. In 1979, when the Pirates won the World Series, the seven-time All-Star hit .310 with 25 home runs and 94 RBIs.
Over 19 seasons with the Pirates (1973-83), Cincinnati Reds (1984-87), Oakland Athletics (1988-89), Milwaukee Brewers (1990), California Angels (1991), and Toronto Blue Jays (1991), Parker hit .290 with 339 home runs and 1,493 RBIs in 2,466 games. The right fielder had a strong throwing arm and was a three-time Gold Glove winner and three-time Silver Slugger.
Parker was part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame class in 2022 and had been scheduled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27, when, heartbreakingly, Parker said, "was a long time waiting. So it was exciting. ... I'm looking forward to being there. I've been holding this speech in for 15 years."
Ahead of the induction ceremony, Parker reflected on playing in a different era.
"The 70s were tough," Parker said. "You had to be a heck of a player to play in the 70s. I enjoyed that. I loved the competition. I just enjoyed playing."
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