Elijah “Dale” Parker ’51 celebrated his 100th birthday on Jan. 24, 2025. A lifelong athlete, coach, and mentor, Parker’s influence stretched from college diamonds to international baseball camps, shaping generations of players. He is a member of the Seattle Pacific Falcon Hall of Fame, the University of Washington Husky Hall of Fame, the Washington State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Edmonds-Woodway High School Hall of Fame.
Born In Montesano, Washington, and raised in Oroville and Bridgeport, Wash., Parker turned down a professional baseball offer to attend Seattle Pacific College after World War II, becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree. A scholar-athlete, he played both baseball and basketball, and as team captain in his senior year, he led the Falcons to their first winning baseball season (15-14).
Parker turned down a professional baseball offer to attend Seattle Pacific College after World War II, becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree.
After graduating with a degree in education, Parker became the athletic director at a Christian college in Arkansas before returning to his alma mater. He coached the Falcons’ baseball team from 1952 to 1956 and again from 1962 to 1967. After that, his impact on the game extended far beyond Seattle Pacific.
Parker became a scout for the Montreal Expos and also coached for six years at the University of Washington, where he led the Huskies to their first-ever NCAA Baseball Regionals. The team fell just one game short of the College World Series, though at least four of Parker’s players — George Grant, Donald Rhodes, Gary Snyder, and Robert Wyman — went on to sign professional contracts. He and the entire 1959 team were later inducted into the Husky Baseball Hall of Fame.
His passion for player development wasn’t limited to college athletes, either. Parker launched the first baseball camp in North America and, for 29 years, directed the renowned Okanagan Major League Baseball Camp in Oliver, British Columbia. His love for the game also took him overseas. By the time he celebrated his 50th Seattle Pacific class reunion in 2000, Parker was recognized for having already spent a decade with a Christian sports ministry, coaching baseball in Bulgaria and Germany.
Beyond the field, he dedicated years to education, coaching, and mentoring students in the Edmonds (Wash.) School District.
Today, Parker’s legacy extends far beyond the games he coached — with his influence still reflected in the players, students, and communities he touched over a century of impact.
