Dave Kingman struck out frequently, and posted a low batting average and on-base percentage.
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38 Facts About Dave Kingman
2.
Dave Kingman finished in the top 25 voting for National League Most Valuable Player four times and American League Most Valuable Player once.
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3.
Dave 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.
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4.
Dave Kingman threw a no-hitter against Niles North High School on April 6,1967.
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5.
Dave Kingman was drafted by the California Angels out of high school in the second round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft, and by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the 1968 draft, but chose, instead, to attend the University of Southern California to play college baseball for the USC Trojans under coach Rod Dedeaux, after a year at Harper Junior College in Palatine, Illinois.
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6.
Dave Kingman began as a pitcher before being converted to an outfielder.
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7.
In 1970, Dave Kingman was named an All-American and led the Trojans to the College World Series championship, along with teammates, pitchers Steve Busby, Jim Barr and Brent Strom.
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8.
Dave Kingman was then selected by the San Francisco Giants with the first pick of the 1970 secondary phase draft.
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9.
Dave Kingman came up as an outfielder and first baseman with the San Francisco Giants.
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10.
Dave Kingman made his major league debut on July 30,1971, pinch running for Willie McCovey, and finishing the game at first base.
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11.
Dave Kingman hit a home run in his next game, a grand slam, and hit two more a day later.
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12.
Dave Kingman appeared in the postseason when the Giants won the National League West and advanced to the National League Championship Series.
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13.
Dave Kingman went 1-for-10 with three strikeouts as the Giants lost in four games.
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14.
Dave Kingman's contract was purchased by the New York Mets from the Giants for $150,000 on February 28,1975.
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15.
Dave Kingman played twelve games at third with the Mets; however, the Mets eventually abandoned the idea of Dave Kingman as a third baseman and kept him primarily in the outfield.
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16.
Dave Kingman emerged as a slugger upon his arrival in New York City, setting a club record with 36 home runs in 1975.
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17.
Dave Kingman scored 65 runs, the highest percentage of runs scored on homers for any player who hit more than 30 in a season.
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18.
Dave Kingman was claimed off waivers by the California Angels from the Padres on September 6,1977.
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19.
Dave Kingman hit three home runs in a game twice that season, both coming in Cubs losses.
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20.
Kenmore is lined with houses, and the ball Dave Kingman launched landed on the third porch roof on the east side of Kenmore, a shot estimated at 550 feet.
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21.
Dave Kingman finished eleventh in NL MVP balloting that year and led the league in strikeouts for the first time in his career.
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22.
In 1980, Dave Kingman dumped a bucket of ice water on Daily Herald reporter Don Friske's head late in spring training.
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23.
Dave Kingman regularly insisted he was misquoted, and he began appearing regularly in the Chicago Tribune, as the nominal author of a column ghostwritten by Chicago Park District employee Gerald Pfeiffer.
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24.
Dave Kingman was reacquired by the Mets from the Cubs for Steve Henderson and cash on February 28,1981.
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26.
Dave Kingman led the NL in strike outs both of the first two seasons of his return to the Mets.
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27.
Dave Kingman remained with the team for the remainder of the season in a limited role.
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28.
Dave Kingman was released at the end of the season, and signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics.
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29.
Dave Kingman made just nine appearances at first base in 1984, and was the A's regular designated hitter the remainder of the time.
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30.
Dave Kingman was named the American League's Comeback Player of the Year, and finished 13th in MVP balloting.
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31.
Dave Kingman had two at-bats in this period which did not result in home runs, but nonetheless were noteworthy: in the Metrodome against the Minnesota Twins, on May 4,1984, he hit a pop-up that flew into a hole in the roof and got stuck for a ground rule double.
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32.
Dave Kingman himself said it was intended as a harmless practical joke.
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33.
When Dave Kingman's contract expired after the 1986 season, Oakland did not renew his contract and he became a free agent.
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34.
Dave Kingman was awarded over $829,000 in damages for collusion by MLB owners against him.
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35.
On July 11,1987, Dave Kingman signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants during the 1987 season.
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36.
In 1989, Dave Kingman played for the West Palm Beach Tropics of the Senior Professional Baseball Association, alongside other former major league players.
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37.
Dave Kingman was the first player to hit 400 or more home runs without being eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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38.
Dave Kingman has three children, Adam, Abby and Anna and operates a local tennis club.
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