Parker's patriotic pride

HURON — Just a fifth-grader, Parker Towns already received a call-up to the big leagues. On Saturday, the Huron girl sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati before the Reds took on the San Francisco Giants. Minutes before the first pitch, the 40,000-plus fans in attendance at this Major League Baseball matchup gave her a thunderous standing ovation — rivaling that of a game-ending home run off the bat of a Reds player — for her rousing rendition. "It was amazing," Parker's mother, Mary, said. "It was Parker's biggest audience to date." Parker's world tour of national anthems Mary referenced Parker's sudden and quick rise of performing the national anthem at notable venues, including those home to several professional sports teams. Within the past year, a massive domino effect has occurred: • This past summer, Parker first performed the national anthem in front of a large audience at Deer Creek State Park, south of Columbus. She served as a last-minute replacement ahead of a triathlon. • A triathlon participant who works for the Columbus Fury, a women's professional indoor volleyball team, took notice and asked Parker to sing before a match. The Fury play at Nationwide Arena, doubling as the home for the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets. • At the Fury match, a person with Major League Soccer connections sought out Parker to perform the anthem preceding a Columbus Crew game. • At the Crew game, an official with the Cincinnati Reds caught wind of her performance and asked Parker to sing the anthem as part of Cincinnati's kids opening day festivities, which occurred this past week. Those in Cincinnati treat opening day as an unofficial holiday, going all-out for the Reds' first home game and series each year. To commemorate the once-a-year occasion, the Reds host many special celebrations, such as those for kids, throughout the team's first homestand. • While in Cincinnati, a representative for the Detroit Tigers, another MLB team, reached out to Mary and booked Parker for an upcoming performance later this season at Comerica Park. This would mark her second time singing the national anthem prior to an MLB game. • And she's already on the books to perform at a third MLB game this season: July 6 for the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. This only adds to her past public performances, about 10 in total, which consist of before Huron High School athletic contests and during a police convention at the Sandusky-area Kalahari Resorts & Conventions. "I'm always honored to sing the national anthem when asked because I love the country I live in, and I hope — when hearing me sing the anthem — people remember what it represents and feel thankful for people who served our country," said Parker, who encourages people to visit her Instagram page, @parkerpie_official, to watch videos of her performances. Anthem aspirations Regarding Parker's goals with singing the national anthem, Mary said, "She really is just having fun. She enjoys going to the games. Getting a playoff game where she would be televised would be what she would want next I'm sure. Not many anthems are televised." Parker possesses a deep passion for performing and acting. A standout student in the Caryl Crane Youth Theatre, she aspires to, one day, become a singer and/or actress. "She absolutely loves Caryl Crane and encourages everyone to join," Mary said. The youngest of four daughters, Parker said she gains inspiration from her three older sisters — Jadyn, Rylie and Kendal, all standout student-athletes who have each achieved much — for wanting the best for herself and not settling for anything less. "We are very proud of her," Mary said. "She works hard. She is constantly trying to improve or learn something new. She's very busy and dedicated to her craft and is grateful for all the opportunities that have been presented to her."