Dave Parker/Batting Leader--1978
While this card highlights Rod Carew’s sixth of seven career batting titles, it represents
the first of two times Dave Parker would land on a Batting Leaders card. It was a
contrast of two different types of bats; as Carew scattered singles thoughout the
American League, while Parker connected on 21 homers and drove in 88 runs while
hitting his robust .338 in the NL.
The Cobra’s star was just beginning to shine as he and the Pirates were to enter the
cocaine-laced scandal years which also produced Pittsburgh’s “We Are Family” World
Championship of 1979.
My path would cross with Dave Parker's during his Cincinnati Red seasons of the mid-
1980s. Just 25 years-old, I served as the Reds Traveling Secretary from 1986 thru
1988. It was personally an exciting time for myself, as I was on the road with Pete Rose,
Tony Perez and an aging Dave Parker.
As the front office representative in the locker room, one of my duties as the Traveling
Secretary was to hand out the paychecks to the players. Twice a month I was the most
popular guy in the clubhouse!
Back then making a million dollars was the measuring stick of pay for the stars of the
game. At the time Parker was making $1.1 million, while Marge Schott was paying me
under twenty grand.
After handing the big fella his check, he opened it to show-off to this inquisitive young
man. Yet while I was initially discouraged, as during the two-week pay period Parker
made three times my annual salary; I was young, staying in the best hotels, flying on
chartered jets and watching big league baseball everyday.
As I look back, life wasn’t that bad;even if I was getting just $663.57 every two weeks---
after taxes of course.
the first of two times Dave Parker would land on a Batting Leaders card. It was a
contrast of two different types of bats; as Carew scattered singles thoughout the
American League, while Parker connected on 21 homers and drove in 88 runs while
hitting his robust .338 in the NL.
The Cobra’s star was just beginning to shine as he and the Pirates were to enter the
cocaine-laced scandal years which also produced Pittsburgh’s “We Are Family” World
Championship of 1979.
My path would cross with Dave Parker's during his Cincinnati Red seasons of the mid-
1980s. Just 25 years-old, I served as the Reds Traveling Secretary from 1986 thru
1988. It was personally an exciting time for myself, as I was on the road with Pete Rose,
Tony Perez and an aging Dave Parker.
As the front office representative in the locker room, one of my duties as the Traveling
Secretary was to hand out the paychecks to the players. Twice a month I was the most
popular guy in the clubhouse!
Back then making a million dollars was the measuring stick of pay for the stars of the
game. At the time Parker was making $1.1 million, while Marge Schott was paying me
under twenty grand.
After handing the big fella his check, he opened it to show-off to this inquisitive young
man. Yet while I was initially discouraged, as during the two-week pay period Parker
made three times my annual salary; I was young, staying in the best hotels, flying on
chartered jets and watching big league baseball everyday.
As I look back, life wasn’t that bad;even if I was getting just $663.57 every two weeks---
after taxes of course.
