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Parker Admits Cocaine Use With Pirates

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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dave Parker admitted Saturday that he used cocaine while he was a player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, before joining the Reds in December 1983.

Parker is scheduled to testify Monday in the Pittsburgh federal court trial of Pennsylvania caterer Curtis Strong, who is accused of selling cocaine.

Enos Cabell of the Dodgers testified Friday that he had used cocaine and once shared some cocaine with Parker in a Pittsburgh hotel room while Cabell was with Houston and Parker was with the Pirates.

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“That’s true, and I guess I’ll be talking about that in my testimony,” Parker told a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter in Chicago, where the Reds are playing the Cubs.

“It’s going to be tough,” Parker said, referring to his testimony. “I’m not looking forward to it, but it’s something I have to do. It’s something I have to put behind me.”

Parker, who hit two home runs in Saturday’s 9-7 loss to Chicago, boosting his runs-batted-in total to 101, volunteered no other details of his involvement with cocaine or with Strong.

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