Former Cincinnati Red, Dave Parker, has finally made it into the Hall of Fame. Writers finally got it right and another Cincinnati Red has been inducted. Commonly known as “The Cobra” Dave spent 3 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. 2 of them earned him All Star bids. Dave will go into the Hall of Fame a Pittsburgh Pirate, but it’s no secret he still held a lot of love for the Cincinnati Reds. Not to mention, he spent the majority of his youth growing up in Cincinnati, OH.
Cobra’s ’85 season
Dave Parker’s best season as a Cincinnati Red was easily in 1985 where he posted 4.7 bWAR, had an absurd 125 RBIs, and a total of 80 XBHs. He was 2 hits shy of 200, and bopped 34 homers. He touched 350 total bases, the best of his career, while donning Cincinnati across his chest. A dandy ’85 season earned him MVP runner up, as he finished 2nd in voting, falling short to Willie McGee.
Though he’ll go in a Pirate, he’s also a Red through and through. We Reds fans will always remember Dave Parker as the first “major” free agent signing in the franchises history in the 80s. If you don’t believe me, how about knowing that there’s now a street dedicated to him in Cincinnati, OH? Congratulations to one of the more important athletes to African Americans in professional sports. A Hall of Fame bid…well deserved.
