Dave Parker has waited long enough for Cooperstown

Dave Parker was one of the most iconic players in baseball history.This past Saturday at PNC Park, the Pirates honored the 1979 World-Series winning “We are Family” team 45 years after capturing gold against the Baltimore Orioles in a seven-game classic. Among the players in attendance from that squad was Dave Parker, one of the pillars of those Pirates’ teams in the mid to late 70s. Parker is remembered as one of the most iconic players in baseball, with unmatched swagger and talent on the field. Despite this, the honor of Cooperstown eludes him.

Making the case for Parker comes with some challenges. For starters he was connected to the infamous “Pittsburgh Drug Trials” and was suspended…