Reds History: Late legend ignites Home Run Derby with a powerful win

Cincinnati Reds v Pittsburgh Pirates | George Gojkovich/GettyImagesForty years ago, Dave Parker stepped up to the plate at the Metrodome in Minneapolis and began launching balls into the stands. The only witnesses were the cheering crowds who attended the first Home Run Derby – the event wouldn’t be televised live until 1998. Still, Parker, in just his second season with his hometown Cincinnati Reds, left a memorable and indelible mark on baseball history as he claimed the first derby crown.

Ten batters, five from each league, faced off in the 1985 contest. Each received two rounds of five outs to hit as many home runs as possible. Parker’s left-handed swing seemed tailor made for the…