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Dave Kingman (Part One) The Sluggers First Mets Years (1975 - 1977)

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David Arthur Kingman was born December 21, 1948, in Pendleton, Oregon. His father worked with United Airlines & moved the family around the country often. When Kingman was three years old his family moved to Colorado, then when he was six to Los Angeles, finally settling in Mount Prospect Illinois. Kingman went to high school in Illinois & was drafted twice in the late sixties. The first time as a first-round pick in 1968 by the Baltimore Orioles but he did not sign.  USC: Kingman then attended the University of Southern California where he became a star college player.  First off he was a four-year letter winner at basketball.  Kingman was converted to an outfielder there by legendary coach Rod Dedeaux. He was also a member of the Trojans College World Series Championship in 1980.  The big six-foot six right-handed  Kingman was quickly drafted in the first round, as the number one overall pick by the San Francisc...
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Dave Kingman (Part Two) The Second Time in New York (1981 - 1983)

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David Arthur Kingman returned to the New York Mets in 1981. He promised to be more of a team player & talk to the New York media. The Mets were still a last place team but had a new ownership who were slowly turning things around. That season the club also brought back veteran favorite, Rusty Staub. On Opening Day, he was 0-3 with a walk, in a 2-0 Mets win in Chicago. On April 19th he hit his first HR of the year, a three-run shot off the Expos Charlie Lea in a 7-2 Mets loss. Multi HR Game: In a April 26th double header loss at Montreal, Kingman hit three HRs. After hitting one in the first game, he hit two in the night cap. He hit a solo shot off Scott Sanderson & then a two-run shot in the 9th inning off Stan Bahnsen. The Mets put up four runs in the 9th inning but fell a run short in the 7-6 loss.   Player of the Week Award: At the end of May he won the May 31st NL Player of the Week Award. Starting on May 25th Kingman homered...
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