Dave Parker Has Passed Away

[deweyinthehall]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

My Cobra story:

About 10-12 years ago, I met Dave Parker at the CSA show signing autographs. At the time, I was pursuing autographs in a book of photos by Walter Iooss. Lots of beautiful photos and I've been able to get many of them signed - Koufax, Rose, Aaron, Bench, Carlton, Carew, Reggie, etc. Anyway, there is a picture of Dave Parker in it that I asked him to sign. This particular picture is of him and Grant Jackson in the Pirates dugout smoking cigarettes. His initial reaction was 'I don't sign that picture. Of all the things I did in baseball, why does that photo have to be the one in the book?' After showing him some of the other signatures and explaining my quest to get them signed, he relented and gave me a nice, blue sharpie sig. Overall a nice guy and glad to see him finally elected to the HOF. Had a outstanding peak and a nice second wind.

Here's the photo without the auto:

I have that book as well! One of the very best of its kind. I bought it 40 years ago using an old, hand-completed WaldenBooks gift certificate one of my aunts gave me for my birthday. Some seriously great images.

[RayBShotz]

Late career Cobra.
RIP Dave.