Ex-Pirate Dave Parker Diagnosed With Parkinson’s Disease
Former Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Dave Parker has revealed that he is suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Parker, 62, was first diagnosed with the neurological disorder in early 2012, but kept it quiet until now except for informing some close friends. Fortunately the disorder has not progressed rapidly. He has an older sister who is afflicted with more advanced stages of Parkinson’s.
The ex-MLB star told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that “There’s no fear. I’ve had a great life. I always dreamt of playing baseball, and I played. I’m 62 years old and fortunate to make it to this point. I have some beautiful kids that I got to watch grow up and become adults. My fingerprints are on the baseball industry. I feel good about that. I have nothing to feel bad about.”
The former right fielder and designated hitter first noticed a tremor in his right hand, followed by other issues. For the time being, he is not taking any medication, instead relying on natural remedies.
Parker, a lifetime.290 batter over 19 MLB seasons with 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, and about 1,500 RBI, was at one time the highest-paid player in team sports which in 1979 was merely $1 million per year. Named the National League MVP in 1978, Parker is a two-time World Series champion (Pittsburgh in 1979 and Oakland in 1989), a seven-time All-Star, the MVP of the 1979 All-Star Game, and a two-time National League batting champion (1977 and 1978). He was also implicated in an MLB drug scandal in the 1980s.
According to Yahoo! Sports, “Though Parker played for five other teams and had a great run with the Cincinnati Reds, he is still remembered first and foremost as a Pirate. He won the 1978 NL MVP award, was a key member of the ‘We Are Family’ World Series team and was named to four All-Star teams as a Pirate (out of seven total appearances).”
