Cincinnati Reds: Reviewing MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight

Every Cincinnati Reds fan should tune in to the upcoming documentary, MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight, based on the life of Dave Parker.

MLB Network was kind enough to allow me to preview the upcoming documentary based on the life of Dave Parker. MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight, which highlights the unparalleled highs of the life and career of former the former Cincinnati Reds outfielder, debuts on Thursday, December 12th at 8PM on MLB Network. Be sure to tune in.

At his peak, Dave Parker was one of the best players in all of baseball, and he wasn’t afraid to let anyone know it. The brash Parker walked that fine line between arrogance and confidence, but there was no doubt about his elite-level of play on the field.

Parker’s career numbers speak for themselves. The left-handed slugger has a career batting average of .290 with 339 home runs and 1,493 RBIs over the course of his 19 Major League seasons. Parker owned two batting titles (1977 and 1978), is a seven-time All-Star, two-time World Champion, and took home the NL MVP 1978.

MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight gives a great, in-depth look at Parker’s time growing up in Cincinnati. Several of his childhood friends offer their observations of Parker’s dominance as a three-sport athlete in high school. Parker, himself, speaks of his early years in Cincinnati, watching the likes of Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson at Crosley Field.

The documentary also dives deep into the friction that developed between Parker and the fans in Pittsburgh after he signed a contract that made him the highest-paid player in baseball. Parker left the Pirates organization following the 1983 season and joined his hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds in 1984.

The production touches on Parker’s involvement in the Pittsburgh drug trials that rocked the baseball world in 1985. Despite Parker putting up MVP-type numbers during the 1985 season while playing with the Reds, he fell short in the MVP voting to Willie McGee of the St. Louis Cardinals.

This past Sunday, the Modern Era veteran’s committee, who focus on the efforts of those players not yet inducted in Cooperstown, convened to vote on those stars who put together Hall of Fame-worthy numbers from 1970-1987. Parker was among those on the list, but fell five votes short of being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight is packed full of commentary from former Cincinnati Reds greats. Eric Davis, Barry Larkin, Pete Rose, and even Hall of Fame announcer Marty Brennaman makes appearances throughout the documentary. Other Pittsburgh sports stars such as ‘Mean’ Joe Greene and Tony Dungy comment on the life and career of Parker as well.

Any fan of Dave Parker, the Cincinnati Reds, or baseball in general will want to pull up a seat and tune into to MLB Network presents The Cobra at Twilight. The documentary airs Thursday night at 8PM on the MLB Network. For a quick preview of the documentary, click here.