Robert Brooks Parker
Born, June 4, 1937, Edgewood, Texas

East Texas State University
5’11”, 215 lbs

Bob Parker spent his early life in Edgewood, Texas, about 20 miles east of Dallas, but he attended high school in Hallsville, close to the Louisiana border. He played basketball for the Bobcats and was a tackle on the football team. After high school, he went on to attend Kilgore Junior College for a year, then transferred to East Texas State (now Texas A&M-Commerce). He played three seasons for the Lions and was chosen by Minneapolis/St. Paul in the inaugural AFL draft in late 1959.

After the Minnesota team dropped out of the league, Parker was signed by the Oilers, but in March 1960, his signing rights were awarded to Oakland. His name was listed on the Raiders’ published roster at the start of training camp in June, but no mention of his play or his dismissal appeared in the local press and it is likely that he simply never showed up for camp.

He largely disappeared from high-profile public view after that other than spending about five years in the mid-1960s on the football staff at Edgewood High School, first as an assistant coach and then as head coach. As of this writing (February 2023), he was still living in Edgewood.

March 3, 1960 - AFL transferred his contract from Houston to Oakland.

July 12, 1960 – Either did not report to training camp or was released by the Raiders on or around this date.