Ultimate Mets Database - Memories of Dave Kingman

BluesDuke
Even if Dave Kingman was a model citizen and sportsman, there's one very good reason why he won't make the Hall of Fame - he was a monodimensional player (though he certainly had multidimensional tools at the beginning - he had excellent baserunning speed and instinct, he could be a deadly bunter when he wanted to be [I recall seeing times when he'd play the surprise card with a man or two on base and drop one down, catching the infield off guard and taking advantage of his long legs to pick up a hit and push over a runner], and he could have been a decent enough fielder) whose power and run production, which kept him in the majors in the first place, were too glaringly overshadowed by his offensive failures.

The one season in which Kingman was truly a great and complete ballplayer (1979), he shortened up his swing and learned at last to look at some pitches instead of trying to dismember them. Had he done that in all his seasons, he might well have become a no-questions-asked Hall of Famer; if you imagine Kingman's 1979 season as, say, his second season in the big leagues and project it out to his reasonable career expectations, with the player sustaining the same discipline, you would assuredly have a Hall of Famer even if injuries would keep him from the 500 home run plateau.

As a person, Kingman seemed a deeply troubled one and probably didn't help his own image with his surliness and even his nastiness. But I've noticed in recent years that, when he attends baseball-related events, like All Star games and the like, he seems as relaxed and as engaging as you could ask a man to be. I had also heard some speculation that his earliest years with the Giants had scarred him in one or another way, and not merely by overkilling the "next Willie Mays" expectations, either. I have even heard it suggested that Kingman may well have been a manic depressive - who is to say? Best to remember him in his first hitch with the Mets, when he seemed a friendly if shy fellow who seemed to enjoy meeting fans (he made many an appearance at area batting ranges) who could, when his head was in the game, bring a crowd to its feet even in the enemy ballpark by hitting home runs that could have reached the Russian space station's designated base area.

Brian Olin
Kingman was the best home run hitter in Mets history. A few of his shots still haven't come down. Two shots I remember. One in his first stint with the Mets: He hit a long home run which went out of the stadium into left field. I remember The opposing catcher and the Home plate umpire taking off their masks and gawking at the ball as it left. How often is one hit so far where the umpire and opposing catcher admire it.

The other memorable shot, was his only in the park home run. The Mets were playing the Dodgers in his second stint. The outfielder had fallen down on a wet outfield trying to get the ball. Kingman rounded third and headed home. The ball beat him there and Mike Scoscia was ready for a big collision along with everyone else. Kingman was big and strong, and Scoscia was tough and one of the best plate blockers ever. You thought the whole stadium would shake as they collided, but it never happened. Kingman, not known for his running skills, leaped over the stunned Scoscia and was safe. He revealed in an interview after the game that he used to run high hurdles in high school.

Mark Maroon
How he hit the ball as far as he did with his odd batting stand was unbelieveable!

kevin r
I saw him hit one handed home runs and even one check swing home run. I also saw him practically dive across the plate to swing and miss at balls. I remember being at Shea and seeing him hit the ball through the legs of the tall light towers and break windows in the parking lot.

Mike Melioris
The most exciting person in baseball 1975 and 1976. If only he didn't get hurt he would have hit 75 home runs in 1976. I will never forget the incredible shot in Chicago out of the park and across the street and the person watching the game in that house looked out to see the ball bounce and hit the door.

Jeff
The Mets could be down by 6 or 7 runs in the late innings, but if King Kong Kingman was due up again, you hung around to see the at bat. He was that explosive and that exciting to watch.

Ernie
When I think of Kingman I recall the game where the Mets gave away seat cushions. The game was all but over with the Mets trailing as was usual then. Kingman hits a long homer out to left field; next thing you know the place goes crazy. Fans were frisbeeing their cushions out onto the field. It was the only thing they had to celebrate all night; the fans made the most of it.

Blade
My fondest memory of Dave Kingman as a Met is when one evening on the Channel 11 sportscast, Jerry Girard reported that Kingman went 0 for 5, and raised his batting average!

Warren C.
In the days that Dave played, Shea was a lonesome stadium. I used to go just to watch this man foul balls off. Nothing was more impressive to hit New York since Duke Snider.

I went to Ebbets field in the 1940s and Shea ever since them Bums left Brooklyn. One day Kingman should be placed in the Hall of Fame but the sports writers never liked anyone in New York that was not one of the good old boys.

Dan
How about the time Kong fouled off a pitch so hard it went over the roof behind home plate and into the parking lot? Man, now THAT was power!

Richard S. Moy
Dave Kingman was the most unsociable and un-teamlike person I have ever seen. True he had immense power but he should never be considered for the Hall of Fame. They should close the Hall of Fame if he gets in.

Ralph Kiner
I remember as a kid going to Shea. We usually walked around the outside of the stadium a couple of times before going inside. I recall signs in the parking lot beyond the left field bullpen declaring them Kingman fallout zones and how parked cars that might be damaged were not the responsibility of the Mets. Could you imagine if he could feast on the pitiful pitching of today?

Scott Orner
I was at the seat cushion night when Kingman hit the solo homer in the bottom of the ninth with the Mets trailing 5-1. What I remember most of that game was that he had been up with the bases loaded a few innings earlier and struck out weakly. He could hit the ball a ton, too bad he never did it in clutch situations. I also remember a game where the defense had that huge outfield shift to left, since he always pulled everything. He hit a check swing blooper down the right field line and wound up with an inside-the- park home run. He collapsed as he crossed home plate since he was not used to running out anything longer than a single.

murphy
Just like every Met fan my age, King Kong was my favorite Met hitter from those lousy teams in the mid 70s. I got his autograph when I was about 7, and he was one of the nastiest human beings I've ever met. His mile high home runs were something else, though.

Mr. Sparkle
I remember it was either Bob Murphy or Lindsey Nelson going on about Kingman and his nicknames. "They call him King Kong, or Sky King, or Kong, or Sky Kong, or ..." and I swear he must have come up with ten other names for Kingman. It was a pisser.

If he played today he would definitely hit 60. Hard to believe his best season with the Mets he only had 535 ABs. Unbelievable power.

I remember reading about Kingman in Keith Hernandez's book "If at First" and how when Mex was traded to the Mets, Kingman was thrilled and told him "You're my ticket outta here!!!" Nice attitude Sky Kong!

Robert Koppel
I have been a fan of Dave's since the 70's and can say that only McGwire today represents the same type of excitement to the game that Kingman did! I have know Dave personally for 8 years and find him one of the more pleasant people I have ever met. Wish you were still playing!

Jon
Kingman was on his way to one of the freakiest power-hitting seasons in baseball history in 1976 when he injured his wrist on a fielding play and wound up missing several weeks and derailing an awesome HR pace, especially for his era. He wound up second in the league that year anyway. I remember hearing the game when he hurt himself (we were camping in a neighbor's backyard; I was 10) and being totally heartbroken. I agree with those above who said he was as exciting a player as we've ever had.

Jayker
February 25, 2001
My favorite Dave Kingman memory was back in 79...I'll give ya the short version..My father was friends with Skip Lockwood and he and Kingman lived in the Greenwich Ct area, along with Seaver. I was over Lockwood's house, who even though his looks were of a geek, he was a great athlete..(Golf, Bowling). Anyway over Skips house one day and I ask him if I can met Kingman and he said sure...We all(Skip, My father and I) all walked over to his house and lockwood proceeded to knock on his door...Yelling "Hey Kong" "Hey Kong" Kingman opens the door, the smell of marijuana almost knocked me over and behind him were two babes on the couch. Skip responded "oh not a good time" He said no, I just finished playing a little ice hockey on the pond, with two flight attendent friends . Refering to the two babe's son the couch.anyway said hello shook his hand and we left, and thats my kingman memory

SAY HEY KID FROM WOODSIDE
March 1, 2001
Bought my mother a drink at a bar in Jackson Heights and like his career he stuck out!!

JAY tEKEL
March 3, 2001
Dave Kingman is my all time favorite player. When he came up you woud not leave the room no matter what the score. My two favorite memories are the following,the home run he hit off of Catfish Hunter in spring training 1977 in Ft. Lauderdale. That baseball is still going. The farthest ball I've ever seen hit. Second, I saw Dave as a member of the cubs at Shea in early 1979. He hit three home runs against the Mets and I just missed catching the third home run. Thank you "David Arthur Kingman". The memories you have given me will last a lifetime.

PlaidJacket
March 12, 2001
I recall the annual home run race that would pit Kingman against Schmidt, with Schmidt always nosing him out by 1-3 homers a year... Better than that though, was watching Kingman try to catch a flyball in the outfield. Had all the fielding ability of Ethel Murman... I also remember Bob Murphy saying that Kingman "hated" being called "King Kong" Kingman.

EG
March 18, 2001
What more can you say about a guy who throws a party for his (then Cubs) teammates at his own house and he is the first one to leave.

I'd love to see a tape of his home runs. He certainly hit some monster shots.

Dario
September 7, 2001
I watched Dave during his stints in NY... What a pleasure. Those moonshots he launched out of Shea were mind-bending. Also, look at the photos of him compared to today's HR hitters (McGwire, Canseco, Bonds, Frank Thomas, et al) They look like steroid junkies with bulging muscles and limited mobility. Except for beefy forearms, and his height, Dave looked like a regular guy. In shape, but proportionate. Imagine how far those balls would have travelled if he was pounding "andro" or other performance enhancers and spending 5 hrs a day in the gym!

Also, when I approached him on the street for an autograph (with trepidation-I'd heard the stories) He was so gracious and friendly, I was almost taken aback. The character assassination by the press is akin to what happened to another extremely talented and also supposedly "surly" sport star: Rick Barry. This legend has been debunked many times for both these guys, yet continues to live on.

Stu
November 6, 2001
He was the first guy that I remember dropping everything to watch him hit. A friend of mind was an even bigger fan. Back in 1979 I wanted to see a Mets- Cub game at Shea. At first my friend declined saying 'Oh the Mets will lose and Kingman won't hit any HR's' I finally convinced him, we snuck into seats right behind home plate (not hard to do in those days), Kingman then with the Cubs hit three solo home runs but the Mets won 6-4 behind Pete Falcone and Neil Allen.

Rich S
November 14, 2001
I recall he sent a gift to a woman sportswriter (which was extremely unusual at the time - not the gift, but the sportswriter), who upon opening it, was horrified to discover a live rat. And I also recall he started his career as a pitcher and actually pitched a few innings for the Giants. But those homers were fun to watch.

Fr. Steve
December 4, 2001
I was serving overseas in the Air Force during Dave's second stint with the Mets, so my memories are all from the first one.

I personally have never seen anyone hit a baseball farther. One game in particular that I attended He hit one into the parking lot, well into the parking lot, over the visitor's bullpen. I am sure that one travelled farther than Agee's previous shot into the upper deck potentially would have.

In the 1970's Dave was signing autographed pictures in a mall here in NJ (for FREE yet, remember those days?) and I went to meet him. He was very gracious to me and we spoke briefly. He is OK in my book.

Won Doney
December 21, 2001
Even though he had a lot of power, Dave Kingman stank.

Alan
January 11, 2002
Couldn't hit, except monster home runs....couldn't field or run...........just check his stats.....and a lousy attitude......

Scrubbo McGlubbo
January 17, 2002
Ah, the seat cushion game! "David Arthur Kingman," a "mountain of a man" as Bob Murphy refered to him. I recall him coming up with men on base, if not the bases loaded, three times before the bottom of the ninth and then Kingman hit a meaningless solo shot so the Mets could lose 5-1.

The seat cushions were tossed more as a mock celebration rather than anything else. I mean, it was like raining seat cushions! They had to stop the game for five minutes or so to pick all those seat cushions off the ground. So much power combined with so much anticipation for so much disappointment, especially during stint #2.

Someone, I managed to hang on to my seat cushion and my father still uses it on rough seating surfaces to this day.

Dave Shaw
January 31, 2002
I still remember the headline in Newsday after one of his four-strikeout games: "K-K-K-K-Kingman." Good stuff.

RICH HARRIS
February 28, 2002
He was my favorite met growing up. I remember my friends used to kid me because I had a dave kingman mitt and of course he wasn't very well known for his fielding, and either was I! My fondest memory was in 1982 I was at sports bag night vs. The padres it was sold out and I was sitting as far up in the upper deck as possible. Dave kingman came up and hit a ball out of the stadium. The place was rocking. I felt the stadium shake and I thought the whole stadium was going to tumble.

Jim Snedeker
March 4, 2002
I have a picture I clipped out of the newspaper many years ago, showing two outfielders looking straight up in disbelief, their arms flailing out to their sides and their faces showing a little fear.

What just happened is that Dave Kingman had hit a ball into the roof of the stadium they were in that day. It got stuck there and didn't come down.

You'd think that the first thing designers of domed stadiums would do is to eliminate any chance that a player could hit the cover. But King Kong Kingman defeated them!

And I'll always remember Ralph Kiner saying, "It's really hard to believe just strong Dave Kingman is." Sounds like quite a compliment, coming from a Hall of Famer and fellow power hitter.

bosslarry40
April 30, 2002
I remember the game in LA when Dave hit three homers including a grand slam. he had 11 rbis that night. And, of course I remember hearing the now famous Tommy Lasorda tirade when a young reporter asked him what he thought of Kingman's performance. Tommy laced into him with about 8 or 10 minutes of expletive-laden response. I understand that the reporter was someone who went on to be pretty famous, but I never heard exactly who it was. Any answers out there folks?

Shari
May 16, 2002
What I remember the most about King-Kong besides strikeouts and home runs (in that order) was in a September night game in 1982. It was Harlequin Romance Novel give away night at Shea. Kingman was playing the outfield that night and he tossed me a ball that he had caught that I still have-THANKS DAVE!

Larry Burns
May 30, 2002
What does everyone remember about Kong? Mammoth home runs interspersed with a large number of strikeouts. He was all or nothing. A very one dimensional player, but like Daryl later, everyone watched him bat to see if he would dial long distance. An awful outfielder and a reprehensible human being --- anyone who had any contact with him thought he was a complete tool. Nonetheless he did add excitement to some dreadful teams and made rooting a tad easier in the 70's.

STEVE B.
June 7, 2002
Always will remember a couple of his homers. The first was the home run he hit against Catfish Hunter in spring training, I think it was '77. The ball literally went out of sight of the camera. A sportswriter wrote that he walked out beyond the left field wall to retrieve the ball. Fans beyond the wall said that it had landed by the infield of the adjacent practice field. The second homer was on Mother's Day 1982. He hit a shot into the parking lot. It was as high as it was far. It broke a wind sheild. (There was a reason for those signs out there) he was one of my favorites as a kid! Did have lots of big flaws in his game. Also lacked intensity and hustle at times. Didn't seem happy playing for the Mets. Man, he could hit a ball a long way!

jackie
October 9, 2002
Loved Sky King! He was my fave player as a kid. I even had a Sky King t-shirt. I remember my father taking me and my sister to some batting range here on L.I. It might have been in Commack. There were hundreds of fans. We got autographed glossy photos, and then he actually took some turns in the batting cage!

My other favorite memory is when the Mets were out in L.A. playing the Dodgers. I was so upset because I was only allowed to watch the game for a few innings because it ran past my bed time. When I woke up the next morning, my father left me a note on my night stand that Kingman hit 3 homers and that the Mets won.

Bob R.
January 8, 2003
What a strange guy. He could hit homers as good as anybody, but couldn't hit for a decent average. Not terribly good defensively either. And a very aloof personality. But he might have challenged Roger Maris' home run record that one year if he didn't injure his hand.

snw
April 2, 2003
A complete tool.

Always liked the way Murphy would emphasize Kingman's middle name when he came to the plate, "David ARTHUR Kingman."

I remember how he would stutter step forward whenever he took an outside pitch. Practically would fall on his face.

His defense was so atrocious that Murphy once made this call, "Fly ball, Kingman under it...Kingman...oh it drops in...Kingman...surrounded the ball."

Dave V.
May 2, 2003
Dave Kingman continues to be my favorite baseball player of all time (and the reason that I am a Mets fan) despite this story: As a 6 or 7 year old kid my father took my brother and I to see the Mets and Cubs at Wrigley Field, specifically so I could see my favorite player. Before the game, we waited by the dugout for players to come over and sign autographs. After a short time, Dave Kingman walks out of the dugout to warm up. 7 year old me starts to yell "Mr. Kingman!, Mr. Kingman!, can I have your autograph?" In response to this, Mr. Kingman turned around, lifted his middle finger and yelled "F--- you kid."

Currently 26, I own both an autographed photo and bat. I guess he's more responsive to signing them now.

Bobster1985
May 7, 2003
Dave, you're a pretty tolerant guy! If he flipped me off, I'd hate the guy forever. Kingman could do one thing - hit homers. He couldn't hit for average and he wasn't much of a fielder. And his personality (as you demonstrate) wasn't anything to admire either. The guy hit over 400 homers but has no chance of making the Hall of Fame. That says it all.

Ron Plumer
May 14, 2003
I remember as a kid listening to the radio late at night when the Mets made their West Coast trip just to hear Kingman's at-bats. It seemed that every time the Mets would go west, Kingman would go on a home run binge. Dave Kingman was my favorite Met player while I was growing up, but it's funny that in 1983 when the Mets got rid of Kingman, they aquired another first baseman who would go on to become my all-time favorite Met. That first baseman was Keith Hernandez.

Vito
May 16, 2003
I still remember listening to Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy talk about the "Major League Popups" that came off of his bat. He could hit it a long way although many times it was straight up.

He also had some of the greatest strikeouts I have ever witnessed. King Kong was a big, strong, long- haired, wild swinging (and often missing) dude. His teams stunk but at least he was fun to watch.

bj
May 16, 2003
In response to Ernie's message, I do remember the seat cushion game at Shea Stadium. I believe it was in 1982. It was against the Houston Astros and it was my first Mets game. Joe Niekro pitched one helluva game for the Astros and I believe he was the one that gave up the homer to Kingman. I was only 8 yrs. old at the time and I don't remeber the cushions flying onto the field but I do remember my family having to give the cushions to the people who gave us the tickets because it was part of the deal we had. Ironically, Ray Knight and Danny Heep homered for the Astros that night -- both future Mets! Pat Zachry started for the Mets.

robert
June 23, 2003
If the Mets were winning or losing by at least five runs, Kingman was the most dangerous hitter in the game. But when the game was on the line I swear he was the easiest out in the league - he must have expanded the strike zone to about a 10 foot square when there were men on base in a late inning situation. I remember the opener in 1975 (was it his Met debut?) a fly ball comes his way in right field and he butchers it to give the Phillies a run - Tom Seaver shot him a look from the pichers mound that I felt from my upper level nosebleed somewhere in the flight pattern from LaGuardia - Kingman did redeem himself with a homer and the Mets finally won in the bottom of the 9th in conditions that were rapidly approaching that of the Ice Bowl in Green Bay.

Besides hitting some monster homers, I also remember him hitting a foul popup behind home plate so high in the air that the catcher completely lost it and wound up whiffing on it completely!

Nishna
October 11, 2003
Kingman as a hall-of-famer... I shudder to think. How a guy with such immense talent (with the Giants he could run, wasn't a defensive liability, and was drafted as a pitcher-outfielder) blow it all by becoming a one-dimensional liability? His HRs were tremendous and in his first stint with the Mets he was pretty exciting. But his 2nd stint could be summed up by an afternoon game I saw in '83. Two down, 2 on, Mets down by 2, last of the 9th. Kingman hits a towering fly ball down the LF line... missed the foul pole by a couple of feet. Then swung at a pitch up around his eyes to end the game.

jonnymac
October 28, 2003
Me and my friends used to make fun of the way Bob Murphy would say "David Arthur Kingman" whenever Kingman came up. Murphy also used to say that Kingman's pop-ups would be a "home run in a silo!"

I remember one of his first games back at Shea after he was traded to the Cubs. He hit 3 of the longest home runs I've ever seen. One of them hit a bus in the parking lot.If he hit the ball in the air it was going out. Had a huge uppercut swing.

Doug Grad
November 1, 2003
In 1976, Kingman had 32 homers at the All-Star break and was ahead of Babe Ruth's pace to hit 60 homers. He was even an All-Star that season. I was at the game vs. the Braves on, I believe, July 16, where Kingman got injured. Phil Neikro, of all people, hit a slicing blooper into short left. Kingman thought that it would be a good idea to try for a diving catch, but he of course missed it and Neikro wound up on second with a double. However, Kingman ended up sticking his thumb in the turf and breaking it or tearing ligaments, and basically missed the rest of the season. He came back in mid-September. The Mets were a decent team that year, going 86-76, with Koosman winning 20 games for the first time. With Kingman playing the whole season, it's possible that the Mets could have contended for the division. But man, were his home runs unbelievable. I have never seen anyone hit like that since--including Strawberry, McGwire, Canseco. Breaking bus windows, breaking windows across the street from Wrigley. Kong, you rocked!

MR. HITZ
January 9, 2004
Dave was my first "idol" in baseball. He was the sole reason I became a Met fan in 1975. [Okay, Seaver and Matlack and Milner also.] I remember watching games with my brother and saying to him, "Next pitch he goes deep" and he did! What a thrill. He's impossible to get an autograph from though!

Freddy Zalta
January 13, 2004
I remember watching Kong. He was the only reason to watch.

I remember him hitting that home run in Wrigley that hit the door across the street. The lady opened the door to see who was there. It was on the Saturday game of the week.

Bill Baxter, DTM.
January 19, 2004
I would like to say a few things in Dave Kingman's defense. Dave Kingman's Hall of Fame Slugging records may appear to be "One Dimensional" but there are several people in the Hall of Fame with "One Dimensional" records (Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Rollie Fingers, just to name a few.) What power hitter doesn't strike out a lot? There are six people who struck out more than King Kong, and all of them are in the Hall of Fame, or will be. Being 6'6" tall in the major leagues is very unusual. The strike zone is enormous, and someone at that height would have to protect the plate a lot more, and couldn't afford to let anything go by nearly as much as the average player. Also, extremely tall players are more susceptable to errors in the field. At a height of 6'6", a .236 Lifetime average is not so unusual. For someone at such an awkward height, he did okay, and his 442 Homeruns and 1210 RBI's he definitely should be in Cooperstown.

Mark
January 31, 2004
The "King of Swing", as my teanage buddies and I used to call him. Say what you will about Kingman being a one-dimensional player, but when he came to bat with the Mets, you just had to watch. You knew he was most likely going to either strike out or hit a monster home run - which in those days was maybe the most excitment the Mets provided on offense.

Joseph Kohler
February 2, 2004
Kong is not HOF worthy, although I did not want to miss one of his AB's. The year he hurt his thumb was heartbreaking, as he and the Mets were almost exciting to watch, at least bearable. His purchase from the Giants was such a huge deal, because the Mets never had a true HR hitter, except for Frank Thomas (32HR's) in '62. I can recall that every time he came to bat, he'd take a time out because his contacts were bothering him.

I remember as a 10 year old waiting with my Yankee fan cousin for the players to drive out of the Players parking area at Shea. He pulls out with his '76 Eldorado and stops about 10' after the exit, because all the fans are crowding his car. He stops the car and gets out. Everyone was like, "Uh oh." He was huge, he slams his hand on the roof and screamed some profanities at everyone, gets back in his car and drives off. I was horrified, and scared too! I still was a fan of his.

Bob R
February 2, 2004
You're right, Bill. I'm sure Kingman will get into the Hall of Fame someday. But to get there, he'll have to drive to Cooperstown and pay for a ticket just like you and me. To even mention Kingman in the same sentence as Perez, Morgan and Fingers is silly. Those guys are genuine Hall of Famers. Home runs and RBI's alone just ain't enough. His lifetime average of .236 isn't worthy of Cooperstown. His fielding was mediocre. And he only created tension in the clubhouse. Dave just wasn't a winner, Bill, and he has no chance of ever being voted into Cooperstown.

JFK
March 23, 2004
Allegedly hit the longest home run ever in a Spring Training game against Catfish Hunter.

Bob Sagget
July 13, 2004
Sky King was an all time favorite in the 70's. I recently stumbled upon davekingman.com which has some great pictures of Dave through the years. His homers in the 70's were never cheap. They always went a mile. If he were playing today you know he would hit 60.

Feat Fan
August 10, 2004
Read All About It;

Kingman's fresh start a blooming, booming one by: RON MARTZ, St. Petersburg Times March 10, 1975 Dave Kingman is: "...a polished outfielder, a strong and remarkably accurate thrower and a fast man on the bases who hits with power...about to fulfill all the promises made for his career." - 1972 San Francisco Giants' press guide

"... an amazingly quick athlete for a big man...in 1972 Dave provided a lot of run-scoring power but his average was not what he'd like it to be.. .last season Dave played first base, third base and left field." - 1973 San Francisco Giants' press guide

"All the physical tools - power, speed, strong arm - are in Dave's possession...has a lot of desire also, but there has been something missing...if he could put it all together he would be a super player." - 1975 San Francisco Giants' press guide

Kiwiwriter
September 8, 2004
He was raw, unrefined, pure power. No editing. So he struck out a lot.

He was surly to a lot of media folks, but when I covered the Mets, he was pals with Mike Dyer, and I was pals with Mike Dyer, so we got along. I guess he was selective in his friends.

He did himself in with his cloddish behavior and his inability to hit for decent average and play defense. Had he done any of those three things, he would have had a better time in the majors. As matters stand, he still hit the most incredible dingers.

Cappy
October 24, 2004
In all honesty, if Kingman played today against the gloirified AAA pitchers out there and with todays nutritional (ahem) supplements he would be a threat to hit 85 to 100 home runs. Not only that but his less than cooperative stance with the press would be all but ignored among todays prima donnas.

Michelle
November 18, 2004
Dave Kingman was one of the most prolific home runs ever to don a New York Mets uniform. His tape measure shots over the leftfield wall out at Shea which is still sailing as we speak over the bullpen wall and yet still going and going and gone right over the yellow school bus parked in the Shea Stadium parking lot and bouncing and bouncing some more till a final roll as the thunder still echoes to a crescendo amidst the misty cool night fall air that dusts Shea Stadium so many seasons ago. Only Darryl Strawberry could muster as much more as DAVID THE KONG KINGMAN could but the sudden quickness, the torrid ascent of a simple baseball crushed into the heavens could never be matched. At least Strawberry had the Shea Stadium scoreboard to bounce off here and there but to me DAVID KONG KINGMAN's prolific shots are still sailing forever in my dreams and forever in New York Mets folklore. A Dave Kingman home run almost ALMOST matched a Dwight Gooden fastball in Doc's prime.

Marv
December 27, 2004
At a game against the Montreal Expos out at Shea, my dad and me had great seats and I was able to almost hear the grunts of Dave Kingman as he took batting practice and his swings at bat.

That day he hit a towering two-run homer that looked as though it had carried well out into the parking lot. I looked over at my dad who had been eating a hot dog and I wish I had a polaroid to have caught the look on his face, in his eyes.

I was probably too young to understand, but he told me I was witnessing history...he was right.

Dave Kingman belongs in the Hall Of Fame!

Mickeba
March 9, 2005
My biggest memory of Kong was when he was an Oakland A in a game against Seattle in the old Kingdone. Kong hit three homers one night, effortlessly, and one foul ball that bounced off a speaker and still traveled far enough to be a hr! Too bad it was foul! He had true power. Not today's enhanced steroid power! Definitely a hall of famer in my book.

Jonathan Stern
April 15, 2005
The first Mets game I ever attended was a mid-1970's contest ('76 or '77, I don't know) that was eventually called on account of rain. I was either six or seven at the time. Enough innings were played for me to see the towering Dave Kingman come to the plate several times. On the way to the park, my father told my brother and I about this big star named Kingman and how we should be ready for him to hit a home run. We were high up in Shea Stadium, but he still looked so tall to me, and the crowd stirred with anticipation every time he came to bat. As I recall, he did not get on base that day, not that it mattered.

It was hard for me to understand why so many people were calling him a jerk. I thought he was this big star. It was only years later, when I was no longer a kid, that I found out about the time he gave a reporter a live rat as a present. And the time he threw a party for his Cubs' teammates then left at the beginning to go on a date. And the time he threw a female reporter fully-dressed into Lake Michigan. And the time...

Getting back to my first game at Shea, looking back on it, I am haunted by the fact that it took place before the Midnight Massacre. Somewhere in that clubhouse, wearing blue and orange, were Seaver, Koosman, Matlack, Buddy, Krane, maybe even Grote, et al. There were storm clouds over Shea Stadium that day, in more ways than one.

Buzz
May 22, 2005
My first knowledge of Dave Kingman was in Spring Training 1975 when I was 9. The Mets were playing the Dodgers in an exhibition game and this guy "Kingman" comes up to the plate who I'd never heard of because the Mets had just gotten him from the Giants. First time up he hits a mammoth(and I mean mammoth) towering home run way over the left field fence into the night and then he does the exact same thing his next time up!

Not only were these the two furthest home runs I'd ever seen hit but they were hit by a big tall guy who looked Super Human!

I remember thinking what a great hitter this guy was and I thought we had the next Babe Ruth on our hands! Kingman did hit a lot of homers in 1975 then the following year (1976) Kingman had 30 homers at the All-Star break and Roger Maris' home run record of 61 looked to be in jeapordy but he only hits 7 more and finishes with 37 for the year.

Kingman was always fun to watch because you never knew how far he'd hit the ball and every once in a while he would try to bunt his way on! Even with all of his surliness he was still a team player.

Tony B
July 9, 2005
I recall when he was selected to start the all-star game when with the Mets, he bought and wore white cleats.

I was at the June 10th, 1983 game at Shea when Dave ended the game with a monster walk-off homer in the bottom of the 17th inning. Everyone in the stadium knew he was gonna hit one and end the game, and sure enough it happened.

billygrif
October 4, 2005
From the check-swing homer, to the tragic 1976 outfield dive that ruined a potentially historic season, to the outside pitch stutter-step, it is plain to see that Kingman was one of the biggest characters in Met history.

While I have so many fond and not-so-fond memories of Kong's playing days, for some reason two oddball stats about him stand out:

First, I always remember the stat about Kingman that noted that he was the first person to play for (and homer for) a team in each division in one season. (Back in the day when we only had four divisions, Kingman played for the Yanks of the AL East, the Mets of the NL East, the Padres of the NL West and the Angels of the AL West in 1977.) Don't know if that feat was ever duplicated.

Second, I remember vividly the game where Kingman fouled a ball completely out of Yankee Stadium. (I believe he was the first person to ever do that!) I remember watching the game on WPIX and noting that the Yankee cameras couldn't track the ball that high. Don't know if anyone ever duplicated that feat, either.

JC
October 4, 2005
A .236 hitter won't get into the HOF, but Dave is still one of my all-time favorites, and was practically the only reason to show up at Shea for most of his career. I was at a game he hit one into the parking lot, and was just amazed. He was an awesome power hitter, and any "surliness" was brought on by jerky reporters and columnists mocking him.

Think about how many more HRs Dave might have hit had he A) not played in a pitcher's park for much of his prime B) had some decent lineup protection in those same years C) not been hurt when he was on pace to set the record that year D) not been forced into early retirement by colluding owners. (Guy hit 35 HRs in his last season!) And forget about if he played in the juiced-ball, bandbox-stadium, AAA-pitching era. 500 or 600 HRs!

Dave was my hero as a kid. I was more upset at his being traded than Seaver (who I also loved) at the midnight massacre, the worst day of my young life. I salute him by wearing his name and number Mets jersey I had made to most games I attend, and I always get a lot of compliments and fans sharing an appreciation for one of the great Mets. He's still popular - they should put him into the Mets Hall of Fame!

Lifelong Fan
October 4, 2005
I used to... uh... hate to... uh... hear this guy... uh... get interviewed because he... uh... spoke like... uh... this. So what that he used to hit long home runs? It didn't wreck the morale of the other teams because they knew this swinging fool just got lucky and hit it on the right spot. You swing enough times with your eyes closed and you'll hit the ball, too. Sending a rat in a shoebox to a female reporter. Nice touch.

tommy gonzales
October 4, 2005
I was groundskeeper for the Phoenix Giants since 1965 so I saw a lot of ballplayers through out my career. I must say Dave Kingman was something else. He always asked if my wife could make homemade tamales.

One day, after years had passed and he was with numerous teams, Kingman came back to play for the Firebirds mid to late 80's. I saw people moving in the outfield at Municipal Stadium in Phoenix. Kingman was hiding behind the score board hurling water baloons at fans.

To be honest, I knew Dave Kingman as a nice guy who loved those United Airline stewardesses. I am retired now and haven't seen Dave in a few years. I thought he got married. If someone has information write in. The last I heard he was living in California or the Northwest where he loves to fish.

Billygrif
October 13, 2005
My two most vivid memories of Kingman were a couple of oddball "firsts" that he did during his career: The first was how he was the first (and only, I believe) player to homer for teams in (then) all four divisions in one year. In 1977, he played and homered for the Mets (NL East), the Yanks (AL East), the Padres (NL West) and the Angels (AL West). The second oddity was how he was the first (and also, the only I believe) player to hit a foul ball completely out of Yankee Stadium. I remember watching the game on WPIX and seeing the cameraman try to track the ball up into the upper reaches of the Stadium.

5280MetsFan
October 13, 2005
At a spring training game in '81 he stopped and autographed my book of Mets players from that year. He was very kind to me. I let him know that #26 ruled. He smiled and proceded to blow off the request of a group of older guys for an autograph. Guess I caught him at the right time.

Frank the Met
December 1, 2005
Since I have no personal knowledge of Dave Kingman as a man, I'll limit my remarks to him as a player. Quite frankly, I am astounded that anyone would even suggest that Kingman should be in the Hall of Fame. Usually, such an argument hinges on whether one is a good, very good, or great player -- such as with Hall of Fame arguments concerning Gil Hodges or Keith Hernandez. But in Kingman's case, heck, he was simply a bad ballplayer. Despite his tape measure home runs, Kingman was an awful hitter and a terrible fielder. He had virtually identical tenures with the Mets, both lasting two full seasons, then his banishment at the trade deadline the third year. His first stint was 1975-76, then a trade in June of 1977. His second tenure was full seasons in 80-81, then his being cut in 1977. Look, I yield to no one in my contempt for M. Donald Grant and the DeRoulets who forced Tom Seaver out of town. But in Kingman's case, during both his stints, he simply played his way out. To even consider him as a Hall of Famer is preposterous nonsense, and not even worthy of a serious baseball discussion.

Joe From Jersey
December 1, 2005
Just discovered this website through Google. Wish I had known sooner. Anyhoo, my memory of Kingman was when I went to a Cubs-Mets doubleheader in 1979 when he was with the Cubs. A friend of my mother's had season tickets behind the Cubs dugout and when Dave came up to get to the on-deck circle; I swore to god that I was looking at Hulk Hogan if he was wearing a powder blue Cubs jersey and at age 12 all I can say was WOW. They only played one game because the 2nd game was called due to rain. I can't remember what I had for lunch on Monday but I do recall that sight of Kingman on a hot, humid July afternoon as long as I live.

jamey bumbalo
December 1, 2005
There's a lot you can say about Kingman, pro and con. Either way, I used to love it when he'd drop down a bunt and make it to first without a play because the third baseman was playing so deep. Just as impressive were the homers he'd launch where the leftfielder would move only to turn and watch the ball sail over the fence.

Mark Corrao
December 2, 2005
I first saw him on a televised spring training game in the spring of 1975. The Mets were playng the Yankees at the Yankees spring traing complex. The broadcast was been aired on WPIX channel 11 in New York. The Yankee announcers were talking about Dave Kingman's power as he stepped in for an at bat against Goose Gossage. (He might have had an earlier home run in a previous at bat, I'm not sure.) I remember Phil Rizzuto saying "if he ever gets a hold of one of Gossage's fastballs there's no telling where that ball gonna go." On the next pitch Kong connected and Rizzuto went wild.

I went to many night games a Shea when Kingman connected, that ball went completely out of the stadium. His home runs went so high and far that they were lost from view into the night sky. They simply could not be measured or estimated correctly for that reason. After the games there were reports that windshields were broken in the parking lot. This man probably hit the longest unrecorded home runs in baseball history.

KMT
January 10, 2006
I've never met the man so I can't say if he's surly or not. Personally, I didn't care if he was, one way or the other! What I did care about was the moonshot homers! You never left the T.V. when he was coming up! The Mets were so bad then, he was all we had for offensive excitement! I remember the surprise bunts, as well as the high number of K's. It was written before me about his battles with Schmidt, and how he usually finished 1-3 H.R.'s back. Let's not forget he had NO PROTECTION in the lineup!! I was heartbroken when the dive to catch Phil Niekro's blooper caused his thumb injury stopping his then record pace at 32 H.R.'s at the All-Star break! Even now I still believe he had an outstanding chance at 61 had he stayed healthy! I recently read a story that paints him as a hermit. He never had a great relationship with the press so who's to say if it's true! Wherever he is I hope he's happy! He gave me someone to root for as a 13 year old!!

Roscoe Bernard
February 22, 2006
A friend of mine spent all of March in Florida one year way back when and as a certified Mets nut he was at the training complex every day. When he arrived back north he said he was disappointed to report that Kingman barely picked up a mitt all spring. Here was a guy who needed to work on his fielding more than anyone! And to think they called Dick Stuart "Dr. Strangeglove".

Tom L
February 25, 2006
Kingman came along at the right time for Mets fan like me. We'd always been spoiled with superior pitching, but were always dying for that 'big bat' in the middle of the line-up. His monster homers kept things interesting, despite his frequent strikeouts.

There were many accounts of what a jerk he could be, one that I did not see mentioned, that I hadn't seen mentioned (and I hope I'm recalling it right), was how he'd been harassing Wally Backman during his rookie year about his height. Even after being warned that Wally was a tough cookie and a great wrestler, SkyKing kept on harping on him, and eventually challenged him to wrestle. A challenge which Wally quickly accepted. He made quick work of Kingman, putting him in a hold in front of the entire locker room, which got Dave pretty hot, even though he deserved it.

larry burns
October 31, 2006
An unbelievably strong misanthrope! He was a steroid monster before anyone took to the needle. When I was a kid I loved the fact that he would absolutely CRUSH the ball. It was a little bit of an educational experience when I found out how reprehensible he was a human being. I guess if Ty Cobb could be the best player ever and as miserable, Kingman was a vary poor man's Ty Cobb. Where do you get a rat to send to a reporter?

consuder
November 10, 2006
I had a teammate on my softball team who owned a Dave Kingman model glove. This glove was a source of amusement and wonder to all who saw it.

KD
April 1, 2007
Amazing how Kingman still ranks in the top 20 of fan interest on this site. That story about the rat is not really true. I remember when it happened. It was a mouse, not a rat. He put it in a box and sent it to a female writer named Sue, with a tag that said 'my name is Sue'.

When Strawberry came up in 83, I told people he was the most over-rated Met player I ever saw, and that his career totals would wind up no better than Kingman's. People laughed then, but it wound up being true.

Just imagine how many home runs Kingman would hit today, with the juiced ball, steroids and short outfield fences.

George
July 21, 2007
Dave was my favorite Met back then mainly because of the long home runs he hit when there wasn't much excitement going on with the team. I wear #26 on my softball teams since I started playing back in the early 80's. I remember the signs in the parking lots...Kingman's Corner - Park here at your own risk!

Jeff The Pug
September 16, 2007
I think it's equal parts shocking and amusing that Mets fans, like me, who grew up during the 70s still reminisce about Dave Kingman. Looking back, it shows just how bare the Mets cupboard was in those days. Still, just knowing that he would challenge Mike Schmidt for the HR title each and every year made him seem like a true star to me when I was in grade school.

I remember him as a Paul Bunyon-like character, who seemed so much bigger and stronger than other players. And those home runs he would hit, into the night ... I swear, they seemed to go into orbit, like a rocket.

Unfortunately, more than the strikeouts, I remeber him being an atrocious, almost laughably bad fielder. I remember many a game where he would lose the ball in the sun, and others where he would seemingly lose the ball in the clouds. I definitely remember him being bonked on the head by the ball after misplaying yet another routine fly.

RF Mojica
April 8, 2008
I remember going to a Mets game at Shea Stadium, it must have been July or August 1976. This is just out of my head, so parts of it might be wrong. Kingman was leading the league in HR's, way ahead of everyone else and on a pace maybe to hit 50, which was still a big, big deal in those days. I think it was against the Atlanta Braves, a night game in the middle of the week. Kingman was playing the outfield and attempted to make a diving catch of a sinking liner and, in his usual clumsy manner, managed to come up with a broken wrist instead. He missed much of the rest of the season and didn't lead the league in homers or hit 50. Kingman may have been the single worst fielding major leaguer I've ever seen. Another former Met, Mike Vail, may be his closest competition for that distinction.

Amazin'sFan
April 11, 2008
I loved Kingman when I was an 8-year-old in the mid 70's, but any discussion about David Arthur going to Cooperstown can end with the argument that he doesn't even belong in the Mets HOF.

DeeGee
April 11, 2008
I was also at the Seat Cushion Night in May, 1982. Joe Niekro was pitching a gem for Houston and Kingman hits a mammoth home run in the 9th inning. I was sitting in the Mez boxes in right field and the sight of those cushions flying like frisbees against the stadium lights was one I will never forget. I still have mine (Kahn's Hot Dogs was the sponsor) and have used it at many outdoor sporting events which have uncomfortable seats.

Mets fan in Maine
April 12, 2008
Kingman was one of a few Mets to play for the Alaska Goldtrappers in the mid- to late-1960s. Others were Tom Seaver, Danny Frisella, Brent Strom, and Al Schmelz.

Forever86
April 12, 2008
I had the chance to meet Dave Kingman in January at an autograph signing. He is one of the nicest people that I have ever met, He posed for a picture with me and signed my jersey. We had a lengthly conversation about the "Midnight Massacre." If anyone heard stories about him, all I can say is go meet him for yourself. You will be very surprised.

Robert Koppel
April 15, 2008
I have known Dave for 16 years and he has always been a very nice guy. Saw him in March in Chicago and we talked baseball for almost 3 hours. Very down to earth individual...

john-e-be
April 27, 2008
Ah yes, seat cushion night '82. Thanks to a BFF's birthday, we got field seats. And if the Mezzanine and Upper Deck wasn't in an unload mode after Kingman's shot. BFF's brother scooped up about a dozen cushions. I still have mine, and yes Kahn's franks was the sponsor.

Mets memories rule!

Joe
June 3, 2008
I remember Big Dave was on the Yankees. It was against the Red Sox, he was up, he hit a MOON shot, The announcer said "It looks like it went over the Green Monster then over the backstop. The highway is after that, I hope it doesn't hit any cars."

Anne
September 17, 2008
In the 1970's, I would've put money on it that I was the BIGGEST Dave Kingman fan EVER! When I was about 12 years old, I had a huge poster of him hanging over my bed. My brother's best friend stayed overnight once and I had to give up my room so he had a place to sleep. To this day, he swears he had nightmares because "King Kong Kingman" was staring at him all night long. Oh well, 20 years later, I married the guy So I guess Dave Kingman was my "lucky charm" after all!

Gets by Buckner
September 19, 2008
I wonder if Dave was in his prime in 2008 if he could hit the ball into the new Citifield? Although he was a great HR hitter, I never cared for the comment he made about the Mets when he joined the '77 Yankees. Funny how he returned to Shea in '81 with such a horrible franchise! I was also at seat cushion night in May 1982 against the Astros and will never forget the seat cushions flying all over Shea. Great memories!

James
September 19, 2008
I remember growing up and this guy being my hero. Being a Met fan in the early 80's, there was not much excitement except for this guy.

I was disturbed to find out that he was pretty nasty to fans when he played and the story from the book "The Bad Guys Won" (great Met book by the way) how he let some kids ball fall in the dirt rather then catch it and sign it and then chuckled. Was pretty disturbing.

I deal with baseball card dealers a lot, and they say he is a changed individual dealing with the fans since his retirement and old age is settling in.

Still all in all, my favorite Met of all time.

Joe Figliola
October 1, 2008
Had the earache from hell and had to go to the emergency room at Brookhaven Hospital in 1975. The only time I shut up from moaning about it was when Kingman belted a home run against (I think) Pittsburgh. A couple of minutes later I started bitching and moaning about it again.

Saw Kingman, along with Seaver and Garrett at a TSS later that year. He wasn't surly at all. In fact, he was cracking jokes and seemed very much at ease with everyone.

Kingman's first tour as a Met was great for me because it was nice to have a guy in the lineup with the ability to hit more than 30 home runs a year. My favorite Kingman moment was the two blasts he hit against Houston in '75 to help the Mets win 10-9 (one of the Mets' greatest games at Shea).

I also give Kingman credit for showing up for Shea's final game ceremony, compared with others who shall remain nameless but should have been there.

Bonbolito
October 6, 2008
I loved him like any other young Met fan would have growing up in the 1970's would have. He was exciting to watch at bat even though you knew that he was probably going to strike out. There was a line in an article in the Times about him this year that summed him up best: He hit it high, far, and seldom.

Mike B
November 12, 2008
For all the bad press Kingman has received over the years, that was a class act showing up for the final game at Shea. You can add George Foster to that list also.

KMT
December 19, 2008
Dave showing up at the Shea closing was the biggest surprise of the event! I was glad to see him again! When they showed him out at the fence waiting to walk in I got goose bumps! I felt like a kid again! My 12-year-old son had no idea who he was! I had to explain that Dave Kingman was the greatest Home Run hitter the Mets have ever had until Mike Piazza came along! That when he came up to bat you never left the room or turned off the radio! While it's true the K'S led the H.R.'s by almost 5:1 there was the chance he'd get a hold of one. Come to think of it I can't remember too many cheapies! I would love to meet him at a card show and thank him for all the memories. Once again, wherever he is, I hope he's well.

Mike B
December 20, 2008
He hit the longest home run I ever saw, off Catfish Hunter (as a Yankee) in a spring training game. I wonder if anybody had an official measurement of it?

shirley richardson
May 6, 2009
Before he was a major league player I had the joy of going with his sister to watch him take batting practice. He was a tall slender hunk of a man, and could knock the ball out of the park. What a joy to watch. That was back in 1968. I worked at Campus Crusade for Christ at Lake Arrowhead in San B. The family was loving, kind and had very gentle hearts. They sowed many a seed in this girl's life. I am thankful to have known them and to be touched by their kindness.

Phil Wilson
June 22, 2009
I spent time with Dave Kingman during a day at a sports camp in Montvale NJ where Dave made an appearance back in 1975. He was an extremely nice and polite man to my mom, sister and myself. I remember him hitting a popup and the baseball coaches waited so long for it to come down they fell flat on their faces and covered their heads!

Jack Pesserilo
September 21, 2009
With all the pros and cons about Kingman, his biggest knock was he struck out too much and was only a .250 hitter. However to the people who would knock him I would say "Which team wins? The team with 3 runs on 4 hits, or the team with 2 runs on 10 hits?" In other words homers and rbis win games. Kingman would be on the team with 3 runs on 4 hits!

Mook
November 30, 2009
Kingman was a favorite of mine, but he did have a way of hitting meaningless home runs. There have been a few posts regarding his HR on Seat Cushion night in 1982 or thereabouts. When he hit his HR in the 9th off Joe Niekro, the Mets were down something like 11-0. That prompted a spontaneous downpour of seat cushions that momentarily stopped the game.

Along with Strawberry and Piazza, the only Mets that everybody stopped to watch when they came to the plate.

I recall one homer he hit at Shea when he was with the Giants that cleared the bullpen in left and hit a bus in the parking lot.

Ronell Warren Alman
January 2, 2010
I remember seeing Dave Kingman hit a tower of a home run in 1982 when he was playing for my hometown New York Mets. That moment was captivating. I am a Kingman fan regardless of what anyone says!

jordan schapiro
December 6, 2010
Back in 1975 or 1976 I got to meet Dave at the Staten Island Mall for an autograph session. My dad worked in the mall and brought me to an office where to my surprise, when we opened the door Dave Kingman, Ed Kranepool and Felix Millan were sitting there. My jaw dropped. Never forget Kong was eating a box of doughnuts, one by one like Tic Tacs. My dad introduces me to him and Dave licks the frosting of his hands and shakes my hand. Better than meeting Elvis!

Gr8 Call Ump
January 9, 2011
You wonder how he generated so much power from such a tall and lanky frame. No telling how many more home runs he would have hit in today's smaller parks, water-downed pitching, and more muscled frame due to better weight training techniques.

JMetFan
July 23, 2011
No player since has hit balls farther than Kong. I remember an epic blast he hit in spring training, mid 70's. I ran around the back of the field to try and track down the ball near the lake. It cleared palm trees that were easily 125 past left center and it did not just loop over the trees and fall. It had to be 575- 600' Farther than his tape measure shot at Wrigley. Amazing bat speed through the zone. No doubt that Mantle and Kingman were the kings of tape measure shots. Truly EPIC.

George Jempty
August 31, 2011
I remember watching a game with my brother where Kingman bunted his way on base against the Expos not just once, but twice!

Jughead
December 6, 2011
He became the first Met ever to win a National League home run title with 37 in 1982. That same year, he batted .204 while Cy Young Award winner Steve Carlton hit for an average that was 14 points higher! This fact tells the story of what Dave Kingman was all about - a fine slugger who couldn't hit a lick.

Sportschannel
April 23, 2012
Kong hit a home run into the Mets pen at Shea one night which was weird because it was right field and Kong was a big pull hitter. After the game he was on Kiner's Korner and Ralph asked him why he doesn't go to right field more often and Kong just stared Ralphie down. Ralph threw to a Kelly's Tire commercial and when they came back Kong was gone.

Always remember he was the one Met who didn't chip in to buy an exercise machine for the clubhouse that John Stearns' father made and sold. That move didn't exactly win too many teammates over as Stearns was a popular guy on the squad.

I also remember Kong charging the mound after Randy Moffet beaned him with a pitch and he ended up with both Moffet and John "The Count" Montefusco in headlocks! He wore #10 when he got to the Cubs. They had a big t-shirt giveaway day one afternoon with Kong's face and the quote "The Real Perfect 10" on the front as a joke to the recently released Bo Derek movie "10". Anyhow, Kong overslept after a night out in the Chi-town scene and missed his own day.

Tom T.
July 11, 2012
I remember the one year that the Red Sox were trying to get Kingman to try to catch the Yankees and with the Fenway Green Monster the Yankees would not have a chance so they went out and signed Kingman. In one of his few times he came up to bat at Yankee Stadium he pulled the ball and it went down the left field line and over the roof and out of the park. The umpires ruled it a foul ball but replay proved it was fair and should have been ruled a home run but the foul pole did not go up high enough. The next day they were forced to paint the foul lines on the roof of Yankee Stadium. Dave "Sky King" Kingman was always a threat to change a game (ask Lasorda) and hit all those HRs without any real help in the line-up and without steroids. I think he should be in the Hall-Of-Fame, but it will probably be by the Players Veterans Committee.

Former Employee
April 29, 2013
When he came back to the Mets (81), he really tried to be a good teammate.

When Keith arrived in 83, it was tough to see the effect on Kong.

Mitch
August 14, 2013
Kingman was an odd bird. He was clearly a slugger but was so moody and so difficult to get along with that he wore out his welcome everywhere he went.

Kingman is probably one of the most unusual and perhaps unappreciated sluggers in the history of MLB. He was a 4-time All-Star. For his career, he hit 442 homers and AVERAGED 37 homers and 101 RBI every season for a 16 year career, although his career BA was a dismal .236. He won two HR titles (48 in '79 with the Cubs and 37 in '82 with the Mets). He was in double-digits in home runs 15 times in his career. He holds the record for most home runs hit in a season before retirement with 35. In each of his last three seasons with the A's, he hit over 30 homers and had at least 90 RBI.

A player today averaging 37 homers and 101 RBI per season would get a huge contract, even with a .236 average.

Todd Brewster
November 1, 2013
Does anyone know Dave's career stats at Fenway Park?

They say Fenway messed up many a right hand hitter, as many tried to adjust their swing to pull and upper cut. This would not have been a problem for Dave and I remember him having big games at Fenway.

The Red Sox IMO were idiots in not signing him.

Bobby
April 27, 2014
Im surprised that no one mentioned either of two shots Kingman hit. Firstly, I went to opening day at Shea in 82, Kingman hit a shot over the 396' mark. This ball clearly went way over 500' and I wouldn't be surprised if it was longer than 600', but there was no way to tell....the last I saw of it it was still going up (not an exaggeration). The next day in the paper a sportswriter referred to it as a "400' shot". I presumed that the guy had not been to the game nor even saw it on TV. Secondly, there was a shot he hit in 76 at Olympic Stadium. It was called a foul ball even though the umpires acknowledged they couldn't see it.....they just assumed that a baseball couldn't not be hit that far so the concluded it must have been foul. The replay clearly showed it was fair. I remember everyone in Brooklyn talking about it the following day. Everyone says what a horrible fielder he was...as I recall, the one position he was not so bad at was 3rd base...but he didn't play it often.

MLynch
July 30, 2015
Kingman never used steroids or PED's and hit the ball farther than any player today or maybe in history (outside of Ruth and Mantle). Who cares about his attitude. He never lied to the public about using PED's or cheated at the game. He belongs in the Hall of Fame more so than the cheating hacks playing today. Imagine Kingman playing today on steroids and hitting in the small "bandbox" ballparks of this era. I am sure 70-80+ homers would be in reach. Don't complain about his strikeouts until you look at the totals of today's players many are approaching 200K as season. When Ryan Howard won the MVP award he struck out 181 times. The most Kingman ever struck out in a season was 156 times. He only went over 140 strikeouts in a season 4 times in his entire career. Mike Trout MVP in 2014 struck out 184 times! Give the man his due. As a home run hitter, there were few better. As a side note, Kingman was a very good pitcher in college and had a cannon for a throwing arm with good speed in the outfield, but he was not a great fielder.

PM
June 7, 2016
Kingman was always the subject of much debate among friends during those dreary Met years. Was he good for the Mets or not? All he did at the plate was hit homers or strike out. No extra base power, no walks, batting average under .225. Probably a liability in the clubhouse. But where else were the Mets going to acquire someone who could hit 36 homers? They had no hot prospects or desirable trade bait.

AB
August 3, 2019
Watching Dave Kingman was worth the price of admission.

Tom Seaver was a great pitcher and a great ballplayer. His Mets were a great team that won the World Series.

Young Doc Gooden was brilliant. Keith Hernandez was the cleverest infielder I've ever seen. Their Mets also won...

Kingman was not a good fielder and was a lousy all- around hitter. His Mets never won much. (Shea was one of the worst parks for home runs- you won with pitching and defense.) His relationship with the sports press was always ice cold. Often, the same with management.

Seemingly, the only thing Kingman cared about was hitting a baseball as far as humanly possible, and he was willing to wildly over-swing and lunge at bad pitches to do so.

He probably could have recorded even more homers as a more disciplined hitter (Hank Aaron almost never over-swung). He certainly would have hit for a better average and arguably been more valuable to his team.

But what made Kingman so exciting- and heroic in his way- was that every time at bat you absolutely had to watch every pitch, and hold your breath. There was a tiny, but distinct, possibility that you were about to witness the longest shot you would ever see in your lifetime.

The fact that swinging so hard makes the hitter more likely to fan and look foolish made the spectacle all the more heroic. To hit the ball far you have to hit it high: a Dave Winfield's (or Miguel Cabrera's) line drive homers may be hit as hard or harder, but inevitably land shorter. Thus you risk more popups and fly ball outs when 'aiming high'.

Accurately measuring the longest HR's in history is impossible. This much can be said:

Yes, Kingman hit home run(s) on a check-swing.

Yes, Kingman hit home run(s) with one hand getting fooled on a low outside pitch.

Yes, Kingman hit mythical popups and fly balls through, or bouncing off, domes. And he hit many ridiculously long home runs.

Vince Carter has not won any NBA titles. Julius Erving only won one, late. Michael Jordan eventually won 6... but I happened to be at his first game against the Knicks at the Garden, when the Bulls were not very good. I have no memory of who won the game, how many points Jordan had, or whether he showed any of the great defense that would set him and the Bulls apart.

But I can still picture that backhand dunk. It was on a breakaway and a plain vanilla dunk would have been higher percentage. Had he botched it he would have looked really foolish.

But it was worth the price of admission.

Jerry
June 15, 2021
I remember a night game in which Kingman hit a home run over the left-field bullpen. When this ball passed over the back wall of the pen, it was as high as the lights (not the towers, but the lights atop the towers) it passed halfway between the top deck of the left-field grandstands (there were only about seven vertical rows of seats in fair territory), and the lights and then disappeared into the darkness. I just stared at my TV with my jaw hanging agape. Until that moment, I had NEVER imagined that a human being could hit a ball that far.

Mark Corrao
September 15, 2021
I originally posted that Gossage was the pitcher but corrected my mistake. It was Jim "Catfish" Hunter.

mark silverman
October 22, 2021
Kingman either struck out or hit it 700 feet. In the field he was basically Lurch with a glove. His 74 Topps card said something so crazy on the back and I almost remember it. It was something like "In a high school game Kingman threw a no-hitter and hit four homers."

Nick
December 14, 2021
When Kingman was with the A's in his final season ('86), they had a terrible brawl with Cleveland. Dave was in the middle of the scrum, throwing vicious punches, until he was decked from behind by Joe Carter.

Casperspal
January 16, 2024
I grew up in LA as a USC and Dodger fan. Every time Dave Kingman came to town I did whatever it took to go see him play. I was fortunate enough to be at a game where he hit 3 hrs. However, my best memories of Dave have been made over the past 3 years. I work at a golf course in a private community. Dave's house is right by the 1st hole green. I see him all the time and have done side jobs for him around his house. I've set in his backyard and chatted with him. Dave is a really good man. He's also a private person and I fully respect his privacy. That being said, I would never share information about where I work or where Dave lives.