Versatility marked Bill Parker’s fast pitch softball career. Parker could play just about any position in softball and almost did after joining the Clearwater, FL Bombers in 1962, playing the outfield, second base and third base. A year earlier Parker batted .364 (4-for-11) in the national championship for Homestead, FL and was noticed by the Bombers. The 1961 tourney was the first of 11 national championships Parker played in–including nine with the Bombers. In 11 nationals he batted .257 with 44 hits in 171 at-bats, scoring 26 runs and driving in 17. Six times Parker earned ASA All-America honors including first-team honors in 1966 (.357), 1967 and 1968 (.333) and second-team in 1962, (.176), 1964 (.308) and 1965 (.211). In 1967, Parker batted .409 in the national championship to lead all hitters. In 1968, he was captain of the Men’s Major Fast Pitch All-Stars, a role not unfamiliar for Parker who was named captain of the Bombers in 1964.In 1963, Parker set a Bomber record for consecutive game hitting streak, 18, and most games with two or more hits, 10. He also had a streak of 12 consecutive hits that season. He was the second Bomber to have 100 or more hits in a season. In 1970 he led the team with a .353 batting average. Parker played on five national championship teams, two runners-up, and two third place finishers. After retiring, he managed the Bombers to a second place in 1972 and to their 10th national title in 1973. Parker was born February 9, 1933 in Lake Wales, FL on April 3, 2005 Parker died of a heart attack. He was 72 years old.
