David Arthur Kingman (born December 21, 1948), nicknamed "Kong", "King Kong", and "Sky King", is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter who was a three-time MLB All-Star with 442 career home runs and 1,210 runs batted in (RBI) in 16 seasons. In his career, Kingman averaged a home run every 15.11 at bats, tied for 19th best all-time.
The 6' 6" Kingman was a power hitter, who twice led the National League in home runs. Known for his long home runs, Kingman hit one measured at over 530 feet. Kingman struck out frequently, and posted a low batting average and on-base percentage. His 1,816 strikeouts was the fourth-highest total in MLB history at the time of his retirement. Kingman finished in the top 25 voting for National League Most Valuable Player four times (1972, 1975, 1976, and 1979) and American League Most Valuable Player once (1984).
Upon retiring, only eighteen other players had more home runs than Kingman for a career and he was tied for 4th on the all-time grand slam list with 16 (tied with Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth).
Kingman was born in Pendleton, Oregon, in 1948, and moved with his family to Denver, Colorado, in 1951, then to Los Angeles, California, in 1954, and finally to Mount Prospect, Illinois. Kingman's father worked for United Airlines and moved the family as needed for his career. Kingman attended Prospect High School, where he was a center and a forward on the basketball team, being named All-Area; a wide receiver and safety on the football team; and a star pitcher on the baseball team. Kingman threw a no-hitter against Niles North High School on April 6, 1967. In his final high school game, he hit four home runs and pitched a two-hit shutout.
Kingman was drafted by the California Angels out of high school in the second round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. Instead of signing with them he chose to attend Harper Junior College in Palatine, Illinois. After a year he moved on to the University of Southern California (USC) to play college baseball for the Trojans under coach Rod Dedeaux, and was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the 1968 draft.
He began as a pitcher at USC before being converted to an outfielder.
In 1969, Kingman had a 11–4 win–loss record with a 1.38 earned run average (ERA) and batted .250 with four home runs and 16 runs batted in (RBIs) as a part-time hitter for USC. In the 1970 USC NCAA Championship Season, Kingman hit .355 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs, exclusively as a hitter, despite missing time mid-season due to injury.
In 1970, Kingman was named an All-America and led the Trojans to the College World Series championship, along with teammates, pitchers Steve Busby, Jim Barr and Brent Strom. Kingman was then selected by the San Francisco Giants with the first pick of the 1970 secondary phase draft.
After signing with the Giants, Kingman played for the Class AA Amarillo Giants in 1970 after the College
World Series victory. He hit .295 with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs in 60 games. Moving to the Class AAA Phoenix Giants in 1971, he hit .278 with 26 home runs and 99 RBIs in 105 games before being called up by the San Francisco Giants.
San Francisco Giants (1971–1974)
Kingman came up as an outfielder and first baseman with the San Francisco Giants. He made his major league debut on July 30, 1971, pinch running for Willie McCovey, and finishing the game at first base. He hit a home run in his next game, a grand slam, and hit two more a day later. He finished his rookie season with a .278 batting average, along with 6 home runs and 24 RBI, in 41 games. Kingman appeared in the postseason when the Giants won the National League West and advanced to the National League Championship Series. Kingman went 1-for-10 with three strikeouts as the Giants lost in four games. It would be his only career postseason appearance.
On April 16, 1972, the second day of the season, Kingman hit for the cycle in the Giants' 10–6 victory over the Houston Astros. A day earlier, he made his debut at third base, a position he would play off and on for the remainder of his Giants career. Kingman also made his major league debut on the mound with the Giants, pitching two innings of "mop up duty" in an 11–0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 15, 1973. He pitched again in the mop up role on May 13 in a 15–3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Each time he pitched the final two innings, and each time gave up two earned runs.
In 1974, he committed twelve errors in 59 chances at third, and lost his starting job to Steve Ontiveros. Unhappy about becoming a part-time player, Kingman requested a trade.
Following the season, the Giants sold his contract to the New York Mets.
In four seasons and 409 games with the Giants, Kingman hit .224 with 77 home runs and 217 RBI.
Kingman's contract was purchased by the New York Mets from the Giants for $150,000 on February 28, 1975. Mets' manager Yogi Berra compared his incoming slugger to baseball immortal Mickey Mantle.
Kingman played twelve games at third with the Mets; however, the Mets eventually abandoned the idea of Kingman as a third baseman and kept him primarily in the outfield. He emerged as a slugger upon his arrival in New York City, setting a club record with 36 home runs in 1975. Kingman also scored 65 runs, the highest percentage of runs scored on homers for any player who hit more than 30 in a season. A year later, he broke his own record with 37 homers, and was elected to start in right field for the 1976 National League All-Star team. Kingman's single season home run record for the Mets stood until 1987, when it was broken by Darryl Strawberry.