2001 UPPER DECK DECADE 1970’S SINGLE BAT GAME-USED PART XV

 

"Now batting #39 Dave "Cobra" Parker......." The year is 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Dave "Cobra" Parker is finishing up a year of hitting .334 30 home runs & 117 RBIs & being named the National League MMVP Masked Most Valuable Player as well the National League MVP cause on July 16th he returned to the game after suffering from a fractured jaw & cheekbone from a collision on June 30th at home plate with Mets catcher John Stearns. 

Say what you want but brother he's a scary dude wearing this & with coiled bat swing this Cobra is going to strike venom to all.

The 1979 mid-summer classic in Seattle that Brian Downing still can't believe he got tagged out from a throw from Parker. You can see the video on top of you ask me it was like that of Roberto Clemente in the 1971 World Series Throws. 

Also in 1979 along with Willie Stargell both helped lead the Pirates to the Post Season with the "We Are Family" team. Unfortunately Dave wasn't press friendly & had a t-shirt printed up to explain his feelings.  

 

         In the early 1980's Dave found himself in trouble with MLB being named 1 of 11 players including Keith Hernandez (Another member of this set) during the Pittsburgh Drug Trials unfortunately Dave had left Pittsburgh in winter of 1983 as a free agent to sign for his hometown team the Cincinnati Reds. He had a monster year in 1985 & should had won his 2 MVP award but the BWAA saw that Willie McGee had a better year cause he lead the National League in Batting as well helped the Cardinals win the NL Pennant & if ya asked me I guess the writers were still wondering about Dave's attitude to the writers as well the Drug Trials. He stayed with the Reds until 1987 when he was traded to the Oakland Athletics for Jose Rijo & Tim Birtsas where he picked the role of a DH. He helped the Athletics to the 1988 World Series & won the title with them in 1989. Eventually the A`s let Dave after the season go he went to the Brewers then in 1991 he was traded to Angels for Dante Bichette then he went to Toronto to help them win the AL East as an Insurance bat but he arrived late so he wasn't able to help in the post season. Then in 1992 the Chicago White Sox came close in getting the Cobras power to back up Bo Jackson who was returning from hip surgery himself but the Southsiders decided to go with Geotge Bell instead one can only wonder what might been had they chose Parker instead image Frank Thomas & the Cobra in the same line-up. Dave later would serve as hitting coach for a couple of years for the Angels & Cardinals.                          After that Dave called it a career then waited for the BWAA to call him into Cooperstown. The call finally came in the winter of 2024 when he was told he was elected to the Hall of Fame. His body was slowly losing its battle with Parkinsons he was looking forward to delivering his speech that he wrote as soon he got the call only Dave wasn't able to make it on June 28, 2025 19 days after his 74th birthday he passed away. His son Dave Parker II would go on in his place & deliver that special speech that he wrote. Now if you ask me does Dave deserve to be in the set no question about it cause of what he did in 1978 & 1979 He was an 7 time All-Star, 3 Gold Glover ya saw the video right, 2 time batting champion 1977 &1978 the only thing I find wrong is the small scandal he had during the drug trials in Pittsburgh but Dave paid the price when he lost the MVP voting to Willie McGee so what's your take on the Cobra is he deserve your vote on deck is our 3rd Dave post in a row Dave Winfield until then I am reminded you of Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."