Dave Parker may be gone, but he is not forgotten.
On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they will wear a special jersey patch for the rest of the season to honor the late Hall of Famer, who passed away from complications of Parkinson’s disease on June 28 at the age of 74.
The circular patch includes a silhouette of Parker finishing his swing in Pirates yellow against a black background. In front of Parker’s image is his nickname, “Cobra,” in white all caps. The round border is also in Pirates yellow.
Parker, who was elected to the Hall of Fame via the Era Committee last December and will be enshrined in Cooperstown this weekend, was one of the greatest players in Pittsburgh history. He spent the first 11 years of his 19-year career with the Pirates from 1973 to 1983, helping them win the 1979 World Series.
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A seven-time All-Star, Parker was one of the best all-around players in baseball during the late 1970s. He took home National League MVP honors in 1978 and won back-to-back batting titles in 1977 and 1978.
Parker was also a dazzling right fielder with a cannon for an arm, winning three straight Gold Glove awards from 1977 to 1979. He had good speed for his size, too, topping 10 stolen bases in seven different seasons.
The two-time World Series champion finished his career with 2,712 hits, including 526 doubles and 339 homers. A career .290/.339/.471 hitter, he was a great run producer who racked up 1,493 RBI.
Parker was inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2022 as part of their inaugural class.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images