MLB Star Dave Parker Elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dave Parker has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Parker is part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, which includes seven players and one manager. The inductees are Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, John Donaldson, Steve Garvey, Vic Harris, Tommy John, Parker, and Luis Tiant. Only Parker, Garvey, and John are still alive.

In this slideshow, we examine Parker’s election.

Cincinnati Reds hall of fame baseball player Dave Parker

Parker received 14 out of 16 votes from the Classic Baseball Era Committee, or 87.5%.

Pittsburgh Pirates former right fielder Dave Parker

Over a 19-year MLB career, Parker maintained a .290 batting average, collected 2,712 hits, hit 339 home runs, and recorded 1,493 RBIs. He was a seven-time All-Star and won two batting titles in 1977 and 1978, with averages exceeding .330.

Parker was particularly dominant from 1975 to 1979, ranking second in batting average (.321) and third in slugging (.532) and OPS (.909). He led MLB with 72 outfield assists during this period, showcasing his defensive prowess.

A three-time Gold Glove winner, Parker earned MVP honors at the 1979 All-Star Game, where he famously threw out two players. He played a key role in the Pirates’ 1979 World Series championship and later contributed to the Athletics’ title in 1989.

Dave Parker signs an autograph for a resident

Parker was inducted into the Pirates’ inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2022. Despite living with Parkinson’s disease, he has remained deeply connected to baseball.

Dave Parker throws a ceremonial first pitch

A Cincinnati native, Parker was also a talented football player, but a knee injury kept him from playing at the collegiate level.