Pirates fans will love Hall of Famer Dave Parker's favorite career moment

At long last, Pittsburgh Pirates legend and two-time World Series champion Dave Parker will have his rightful place in Cooperstown.

"The Cobra," who spent the first 11 seasons of his 19-year MLB career in Pittsburgh, was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday via the Classic Baseball Era Committee's vote alongside Dick Allen. In addition to being the 1978 MVP, Parker won two batting titles, three silver sluggers and three Gold Gloves in right field. He finished his career with 339 home runs, 1,439 RBI and a career slash line of .290/.339/.471.

It was in Pittsburgh where the legend of Dave Parker was truly born. There, he posted a .305 batting average, hit 166 home runs, notched 758 RBI and stole 123 bases. Parker's MVP season in 1978 was the best of his career, as he led all of baseball in batting average (.334), slugging percentage (.585) and OPS (.979), hitting 30 home runs and driving in 117 RBI. He also finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five other times.

“The Pirates meant a lot to me," Parker said in a media availability following Sunday's announcement. "They were a great brotherhood and they were always behind me. I could leave, come back and everything is the same.”

Pirates fans will love Hall of Famer Dave Parker's favorite career moment

Parker was part of a Pirates squad loaded with offensive firepower, but he really did it all. In addition to swinging the bat, he had a cannon for an arm and was a leader in the clubhouse.

With Parker on the team, the Pirates reached the National League Championship Series three times and won the World Series in 1979 when they beat the Baltimore Orioles in seven games. Parker batted .341 and drove in six runs in that World Series 45 years ago, which marked the last time the Pirates won a title.

When asked what he is most proud of in his Hall of Fame career, though, Parker didn't mention any of his myriad individual accolades.

"I'm proud of a group thing," Parker said. "And that's winning the '79 Series and being involved in that."

With Sister Sledge's "We are Family" as their anthem, Parker and the 1979 Pirates formed a legendary piece of Pittsbugh sports history. Parker, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2012, has remained a fan favorite ever since.

For years, Parker’s exclusion from the Hall of Fame has been considered a grave injustice – both inside and outside of Pittsburgh. Now, he – and the 1979 World Series champions – will get the respect they deserve as he is immortalized in Cooperstown.

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