This one is the California Angels edition:
Kingman only appeared in ten games for the Angels before getting moved once again , this time to the eventual World Champion New York Yankees.
In his time with California, he hit two homers over 36 at-bats, driving in four and hitting .194 with seven hits, two of them doubles.
With all of that he still hit 26 homers that season, with 78 runs batted in and a “Dave Kingman-like” .221 batting average along with 143 strikeouts in 439 at-bats.
Of course he’d be “Kong” once again the following year with the Chicago Cubs, hitting 28 homers before leading Major League ball in 1979 with 48 bombs, a career-high, and another HR title in 1982 when he hit 37 for the New York Mets.
I was mesmerized and still am somewhat that the guy’s final year in the Majors produced 35 home runs and 94 RBI’s, only to walk away after being signed as a Free Agent by the San Francisco Giants that never led to anything after some Minor League action.
The enigma that is “Kong”.
