Parkin made his debut, playing for Geelong, against Melbourne in round 11 of the 1899 VFL season at Corio Oval.

His brother Jack also played with Geelong in 1899.

The next year he transferred to Melbourne and in his first season with the club became a premiership player, playing on a half-back flank in the 1900 VFL Grand Final.

[1] After his retirement from football he served as Melbourne's delegate to the VFL for over 10 years as well as being Treasurer of the VFL from 1932 until his death in 1937.

This Australian rules football biography of a person born in the 1870s is a stub.