Cincinnati Reds History: Doc Parker Has Worst Start in MLB History
By David Hill
Every pitcher has a bad outing. For Cincinnati Reds pitcher Doc Parker, his final outing was one of the worst starts in MLB history.
Virtually every time a player sets foot on a MLB field, there is the chance that history will be made. While we tend to focus on the positive points in history, those historical moments can be negative as well. That was the case with Cincinnati Reds pitcher Doc Parker.
On this day in 1901, Parker made his debut with the Reds after spending parts of three seasons with the Cubs. He had been out of the majors since 1896, pitching for a couple of seasons in the minors around his academic pursuits. In the end, this outing would be his final major league appearance.
Parker not only struggled against the Brooklyn Superbas, but he did so in historic fashion. In his eight innings, he allowed 21 runs on 26 hits and two walks without striking out a batter. The 21 runs set a National League record for one pitcher that still stands to this day. Those 26 hits were a MLB record, that was since tied by Allan Travers, who was the starter for the 1912 replacement Tigers, and Hod Lisenbee. Parker also faced a record 55 batters in the game, setting the mark for a nine inning contest.
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Understandably, the Reds let Parker go after that outing. He toiled with the Buffalo Bisons, then in the Eastern League, for the rest of the season, but had his issues there as well. While he made 24 appearances, it is known that he had a 1-7 record. Although his other statistical information was lost through the shoddy record keeping of the time, he may not have fared much better.
Of course, those struggles on the diamond did not affect Parker all that much. He had a long and successful career as a doctor, and was also known for his skill as a billiards instructor. Parker returned to the diamond later, this time as an umpire in indoor leagues. In 1911, he was the owner of the Grand Rapids entry in the Central League.
Doc Parker was a brilliant billiards instructor and a long time doctor. He also made an impact on the MLB record books, as his one outing with the Cincinnati Reds was one of the worst in the history of the game.