Great American Ball Park looks a bit different this week as the Cincinnati Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates for the final time this season.
The grounds crew cut the number 39 into the centerfield grass in honor of late Hall of Famer Dave Parker, who spent the bulk of his illustrious 19-year MLB career with the Reds and Pirates.
Parker passed away in June at the age of 74 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease, a month before he was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
While Parker starred for both National League Central rivals, he’s better known for his time with Pittsburgh and has a Pirates hat on his Cooperstown plaque.
Drafted by Pittsburgh in 1970, Parker debuted with the Pirates in 1973 and spent 11 seasons there. Nicknamed “Cobra,” the star outfielder emerged as one of the best players in baseball in the late 1970s, winning two NL batting titles, an NL MVP award and a World Series ring from 1977 to 1979.
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After falling off in the early 1980s, Parker enjoyed a resurgence with Cincinnati after signing with the Reds following the 1983 campaign. Parker spent four seasons with Cincinnati from 1984 to 1987, making two All-Star teams and finishing top-five in NL MVP voting in 1985 and 1986.
A seven-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and two-time World Series champ, Parker retired after the 1991 season with 2,712 hits, 339 homers, 1,493 RBI and a career .290/.339/.471 batting line. He wore No. 39 for all 2,466 of his MLB games.
A member of the Reds and Pirates Hall of Fames, Parker was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in December 2024 via the Classic Baseball Era Committee.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images