In the 1970s, Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Dave Parker was well known for his power—as a minor leaguer in Charleston, West Virginia, one of his home run balls landed on a passing train and wound up in Columbus, Ohio. In '79, an opposing player had difficulty making a relay throw because Parker "knocked the cover off the ball" (he literally ruptured the ball's seams).

After the Pirates lost two games in a row to the Phillies in ’'76, Parker responded to the mini-slump by wearing a homemade shirt that read “IF YOU HEAR ANY NOISE IT’S JUST ME AND THE BOYS BOPPIN'" in reference to the team’s potent offense.