About Inductee

Danny Ray Parks is a native of Huntsville and attended Lee High School. In 1971, his junior year, Lee won the State Baseball Championship. He won a total of eighteen games during his career at Lee and only lost one. After an outstanding high school career, Danny signed a full baseball scholarship to Memphis State. Memphis State was trying to transition into a baseball power and Danny had the opportunity to be a big part of this. On a team that did not have a winning record his first two years, Danny was their best pitcher and had a record of seven wins and two losses his sophomore season. After a slow start his senior year because of an illness, Danny won eleven games, including a no-hitter, against only three losses. He was selected to the Missouri Valley Conference All Star team and Memphis State received their first NCAA bid to a baseball regional. The regional was in Tempe, Arizona, and the top two teams in this regional were Minnesota and Arizona State. Danny started for Memphis State against Minnesota in the first game and no-hit them for 7 and 2/3 innings. Paul Molitar got a base hit for Minnesotas only hit and Memphis State won 5-0. After graduation from Memphis State, the Boston Red Sox drafted Danny in the 10th round. He pitched two no-hitters during his minor league career and was the starting pitcher for the Pawtucket Red Sox against the Rochester Red Wings. Danny pitched the first six innings, of what was to become the longest game ever played (33 innings), and only gave up one run. Memorabilia from this game is on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Danny had this to say about the people that have had a great influence on his life, I have been blessed with many great coaches, teammates and opponents who helped make me a better athlete. The two men who had the most influence on my life were my Dad and John Dudley. My Dad, Robert Bob Parks, gave me the drive and competitiveness to take the God given ability I had and make the most of it and John Dudley who impacted me then and now more than he will ever know.