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Dave Parker played outfield in the majors for 19 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1973-1983), Cincinnati Reds (1984-1987), Oakland A’s (1988-1989), Milwaukee Brewers (1990), California Angels (1991) and Toronto Blue Jays (1991). Parker was a seven-time All-Star and won three Gold Gloves and Silver Slugger Awards. He won two World Series, the first with Pittsburgh in 1979 and the second with Oakland in 1989. He won two National League batting titles in 1977 and 1978 and was named the league’s MVP the latter year after hitting .334 with 30 homers and 117 RBI. In total for his career, Parker hit .290 with 2,712 hits and 339 home runs. He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2014 along with Ken Griffey Jr. and Ron Oester.
Born on June 9, 1951 in Grenada, Mississippi, Parker moved to Cincinnati at a young age and frequented Cosley Field, where the Reds played until 1970. He went to Courter Technical High School before being picked by the Pirates in the 1970 draft (14th round). He made his MLB debut on July 12, 1973. In 1979, Parker signed a five-year contract with the Pirates for $5 million, making him the first pro athlete to average $1 million per year in salary. After retiring from playing, Parker served as a coach for the Angels and St. Louis Cardinals and a hitting instructor for the Pirates. Away from the field, he owned a number of Popeye’s Chicken franchises in Ohio before selling them in 2012. Parker, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2013, founded the Dave Parker 39 Foundation to provide resources to people living with Parkinson’s and to help find a cure.
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