Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Dave Parker turns 64 years old today.

Dave Parker’s career defines the word ‘steady’. While Parker had some monstrous seasons during his 19-year career as a professional baseball player, it is amazing at how well he played each and every year. With a career batting average of .290, Parker eclipsed the .300+ mark 6 times. As consistently good as anyone in the game, Parker finished in the Top 16 for the MVP award 8 times, while capturing the title in 1978. His numbers in ’78 were pretty awesome – .334/30/117.

His approach garnered 7 All-star appearances and 3 Gold Glove awards. ‘Big Dave’ competed in 3 World Series match-ups, and won 2 titles – 1 in 1979 with the Pirates, and 1 ten years later in 1989 with the Oakland A’s.

Happy Birthday wishes for ‘The Cobra’!!!

Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Dave Parker turns 63 years old today.

Dave Parker’s career defines the word ‘steady’. While Parker had some monstrous seasons during his 19-year career as a professional baseball player, it is amazing at how well he played each and every year. With a career batting average of .290, Parker eclipsed the .300+ mark 6 times. As consistently good as anyone in the game, Parker finished in the Top 16 for the MVP award 8 times, while capturing the title in 1978. His numbers in ’78 were pretty awesome – .334/30/117. His approach garnered 7 All-star appearances and 3 Gold Glove awards. ‘Big Dave’ competed in 3 World Series match-ups, and won 2 titles – 1 in 1979 with the Pirates, and 1 ten years later in 1989 with the Oakland A’s.

Happy Birthday wishes for ‘The Cobra’!!!

Prayers For Dave Parker

Prayers For Dave Parker

By WILL GRAVES (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seven-time major league All-Star Dave Parker is dealing with Parkinson’s disease.

Parker told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he was diagnosed with the disease in February 2012. Parker’s condition was first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

”I went in for a physical, went through the whole physical and my hand was shaking,” Parker said by telephone. ”The docs saw it and I said I’ve been having problems with that. They said ‘Yeah, you got Parkinson’s, that’s how I found out.”

Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder that gradually takes a toll on the nervous system. Notable figures with the disease include Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J. Fox. The 62-year-old Parker said his older sister is also suffering from Parkinson’s. The 1978 National League MVP is able to get by without medication at this point and relies on a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, including at least an hour a day on his bicycle.

He got in his usual round of golf on Wednesday, rushing a bit to beat afternoon thundershowers.

”I’m managing it pretty well,” he said.

Nicknamed ”Cobra” because of his lethal bat and cannon-like arm, Parker hit 339 home runs during a 19-year career with five teams, most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates. He helped Pittsburgh win the 1979 World Series and was named MVP of the All-Star game that year after a pair of outfield assists helped the National League pull out a 7-6 victory.

Parker won another title with the Oakland A’s in 1989, when he hit 22 homers and drove in 97 runs at age 38. He is still active in the game, occasionally working as a hitting coach. Parker said he believes the Pirates, in first-place in the NL Central, are ready to end two decades of losing.

”I know the fans are used to winning when I played,” Parker said. ”They desperately need a winning season. (Twenty) years of losing baseball is unacceptable as far as I concerned. When I played, we threw everything out on the field and including the kitchen sink. It’s nice to see these guys doing the same.”

Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Happy Birthday Dave Parker!!

Dave Parker turns 62 years old today.

Dave Parker’s career defines the word ‘steady’. While Parker had some monstrous seasons during his 19-year career as a professional baseball player, it is amazing at how well he played each and every year. With a career batting average of .290, Parker eclipsed the .300+ mark 6 times. As consistently good as anyone in the game, Parker finished in the Top 16 for the MVP award 8 times, while capturing the title in 1978. His numbers in ’78 were pretty awesome – .334/30/117. His approach garnered 7 All-star appearances and 3 Gold Glove awards. ‘Big Dave’ competed in 3 World Series match-ups, and won 2 titles – 1 in 1979 with the Pirates, and 1 ten years later in 1989 with the Oakland A’s.

Happy Birthday wishes for ‘The Cobra’!!!

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #1 – 1981 Topps

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #1 – 1981 Topps

Now that my Dave Parker player collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #1 – 1981 Topps

Finally, time to show off my favorite card in my recently completed Dave Parker collection.

The card comes from the 1981 Topps baseball card set, and it features a great action photo, a nice ‘All-Star’ headline, and a classic graphic that reminds you precisely of the cap worn by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1980’s.

I also like the background of the photo that was used for this baseball card – between the old-school, unprotected dugouts to the close proximity of the player in the on-deck circle – it all looks great!

Thanks for reading.

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #2 – 1976 Topps

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #2 – 1976 Topps

Now that my Dave Parker player collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #2 – 1976 Topps

Sure, the photo may be a little grainy, but it is definitely packed full of action!!

I love the photo that Topps chose for this card.  Not only do you have a very young, and rather slim, Dave Parker swinging a heavy bat.  But based on the position of his lead foot and trailing knee, he really put all his energy into the swing.

Go Get ‘Em Cobra!!!

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #3 – 1982 Donruss

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #3 – 1982 Donruss

Now that my Dave Parker player collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #3 – 1982 Donruss

While I would prefer to see both of  his feet in this image as I am a sucker for the ‘full-body action shot’ on my baseball cards, I will let this one pass.

The photographer needed to zoom in just a bit more to capture the action.

And as you can see by the little hunk of wood that Parker is still grasping, he really got a hold of the pitch on this swing.

With the bat shattered, I have to imagine that with Parker’s 6 foot, 5 inch, 230-pound body that he could swing as hard as any player in the majors!!!

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #4 – 1977 Topps

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #4 – 1977 Topps

Now that my Dave Parker player collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #4 – 1977 Topps

A baseball donut card – YES!!!

While the image is a bit on the grainy side, I am a sucker for cards featuring players in or near the on-deck circle.

And if he happens to be swinging a piece of lumber with a batting donut on it, I am a collector in heaven!!!

Thank you, Topps!

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #5 – 1984 Donruss

Dave Parker ‘Fab Five’ – Card #5 – 1984 Donruss

Now that my Dave Parker player collection is complete, it is time to show of my favorite five cards from the set.

Card #5 – 1984 Donruss

Just looking at this card gives me chills – Dave Parker is a bad dude!!!

Between the hard stare, diamond stud earring, and menacing presence, Parker more than likely struck fear in all of the pitchers that set out to get him out.

He fared rather well against them – a lifetime .290 hitter with seven .300 seasons and two batting championships to his credit.

I wonder what it would sound like if he said, ‘I Pity The Fool’!!!!

My Dave Parker Player Collection Is Now Complete!!!

My Dave Parker Player Collection Is Now Complete!!!

With the acquisition of his 1974 Topps rookie card, I have completed my Dave Parker player collection.  The set consists of 26 major-brand cards of ‘The Cobra’ from his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, 1974-1984.

One thing that stands out while looking at the full collection is the number of posed portrait cards that were issued of Parker.  While not on Dale Murphy-esque levels, there a lot of non-action, posed photos used of him, especially from his early years.

Lucky for me, many of them were shot near the batting cage.  And you know me, I LOVE BATTING CAGE CARDS!!!  As a matter of fact, of the 26 cards that make up my Dave Parker set, six of them are ‘batting cage cards’.

Here is a look at the full collection. 

And as I do with all of my recently completed player collection, I will select and feature my ‘Fab Five’ and show them off to you next week.

Stay tuned as the fun will begin on Monday with ‘Card #5’.

Have a great night!!