FOX Sports Radio’s Rob Parker—co-host of The Odd Couple with Rob Parker & Kelvin Washington, MLB Network analyst, and founder/editor of MLBbro.com—received a special honor from his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), this past weekend. During halftime of the school’s homecoming game on October 4, the Jess Dow Field press box was officially dedicated in his honor. Former NFL and SCSU Coach Kevin Gillbride was on hand for the dedication ceremony (pictured below).
FOX Sports Radio’s Rob Parker poses outside the Rob Parker Press Box at Jess Dow Field
“Rob Parker’s contributions to the field of sports journalism are a testament to the impact of our alumni,” said Terrance Jones, SCSU director of athletics and recreation, in a recent article in Southern News, the campus publication. “We’re proud to honor his remarkable career and show gratitude for his generosity by naming the press box at Jess Dow Field after him. This recognition not only reflects his achievements but also inspires our current students to pursue their passions and make their mark.”
Parker, who graduated from SCSU in 1986, told Southern News: “I’m so grateful to Southern for laying the groundwork for my career. This is where it all began and where I learned to be a reporter. It’s an absolute honor to have my name on Southern’s press box. I hope this will inspire others to excel and do what most think can’t be done.”
Parker received Southern Connecticut State University’s Outstanding Journalism Alumni Award in 2008. His ties to Southern run deep—he was featured in a 1988 television commercial titled “Four Years That Last a Lifetime,” celebrating the university’s alumni. Just two years later, in 1990, Parker established the Rob Parker Award to honor exceptional sportswriters from Southern News. Over the years, he has returned to the school on multiple occasions to speak with students, continuing to inspire the next generation of journalists.
About Rob Parker
Rob Parker’s career started with a bang. At 22, he was a full-time sportswriter at the Daily News in New York. Along the way, Parker was a trailblazer, becoming the first African American sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press (1993) and at Newsday in New York (1995). In 1993, Parker was the first African American beat writer to cover the Cincinnati Reds for The Cincinnati Enquirer. He was also an award-winning sports columnist at The Detroit News for nine years. In Detroit, Parker had a long-running radio show, “Sports Night with Parker and The Man.” On TV, he worked for WDIV Local 4 for 20 years as an analyst and fill-in anchor. At WXYZ TV, he was the 10pm sports anchor in 2016. Parker, a New York native, graduated with a degree in journalism from Southern Connecticut State University and went on to receive a Master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. In 2018, he was named National Association of Black Journalists Sports Journalist of the Year. Parker joined FOX Sports Radio in March 2018 to host “The Odd Couple” on Sundays, and in just six months, the show was promoted to a weekday timeslot. Parker also hosts “Inside the (Rob) Parker Podcast,” a baseball themed podcast on the FOX Sports Radio Podcast Network, and is an adjunct professor at USC. Most recently, Parker launched MLBbro.com, a website produced in partnership with Major League Baseball to chronicle the paths of Black and brown professional baseball players from the past and present. In 2023, Parker was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame. Fans can follow @RobParkerMLBbro on X and Instagram.
About The Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington
“The Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington” features dynamic discussion and outspoken opinions as the duo takes listeners through the biggest hits in sports. With backgrounds in journalism and additional work as TV analysts, Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington entertain and inform sports fans daily. Broadcasting Monday through Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. ET/4 to 7 p.m. PT, “The Odd Couple” can be heard on more than 430 radio stations nationwide, in addition to iHeartRadio. For more information, please visit FOXSportsRadio.iHeart.com.