LOS ANGELES, January 22, 2026 – 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— is among the 2026 inductee class for the Black Sportwriters Hall of Fame.
Parker started his career as a sportswriter in 1986 at the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. By age 22, he was a full-time sportswriter at the New York Daily News. Throughout his career, Parker became a trailblazer—serving as the first African American sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press (1993) and at Newsday in New York (1995). In 1991, he became the first African American beat writer to cover the Cincinnati Reds for The Cincinnati Enquirer. He later spent nine years as an award‑winning sports columnist at The Detroit News.
Parker will be joined by fellow 2026 inductees Clifton Brown, Garry D. Howard and Ron Thomas. The Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at North Carolina A&T State University's Deese Ballroom at the Student Center. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
“What an honor to be recognized by your peers, your people,” said Parker, who celebrated his 40th year in journalism earlier this month. “I’m thrilled to be inducted alongside such a groundbreaking sports editor and accomplished writers. What a class! I’m both humbled and grateful.”
The Black Sportwriters Hall of Fame was founded by Parker in 2025 to recognize and honor Black sportswriters and editors for their excellence in journalism. Inaugural inductees included Bryan Burwell, Thom Greer, Sam Lacy, Wendell Smith, Larry Whiteside and Ralph Wiley. The Hall is located in North Carolina A&T State University's Crosby Hall in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Click HERE for more information.
This is the latest accolade for Parker, who was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame in 2023. His alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University, also recently honored him with a press box dedication at Jess Dow Field. In December 2025, he was named a 2026 National Sports Media Association (NSMA) Hall of Fame Sportswriter finalist.
About Rob Parker
Rob Parker is a longtime sportswriter whose career has included roles at the Wilkes‑Barre Times Leader, the New York Daily News, The Cincinnati Enquirer, the Detroit Free Press, Newsday, and The Detroit News. 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 co-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. Fans can also watch all three hours of The Odd Couple LIVE every day on their YouTube channel HERE, where they can also view clips and highlights from the show. For more information, please visit FOXSportsRadio.iHeart.com.