Dave Kingman---1978
Nicknamed “Kong," Dave Kingman
was a monster at the plate. His home
runs were titanic blasts. Many were
almost as high as they were long.
His strikeouts were just as BIG. Not
many check-swings in the lot of 1,816
times he fanned.
Despite possessing awesome power,
Kingman was a pain in the behind,
which explains why despite his 442
long flies, he played for seven
different teams during his 16-year
career. Frequently, Chicago
columnist Mike Royko referred to him
as "Dave Ding-Dong."
Kong twice led the National League
in homers (48 in ’79 with Chicago
and 37 in ’82 with the Mets), but hit
just .236 during his career and
played a horrendous left field. I mean
an absolutely awful left field,
frequented by his “Magellan routes”
and stone hands. With or without the
wind at Wrigley Field, routine fly balls
were an adventure.
Growing up a Cub fan, there were
many disappointments along the way.
One in particular was twenty-nine
years ago, May 17, 1979, when the
Cubbies scored 22 runs and still
couldn’t win!
The wind was blowing out at Wrigley
that day, when Kingman blasted
three homers and collected 6 RBIs in
the 23-22 loss to the Phillies. First
baseman Billy Buckner added a long
ball and drove in seven runs for the
North Siders. Cubs’ pitchers coughed
up five home runs--two to Mike
Schmidt, which included the game-
winning blast off Bruce Sutter in the
10th frame.
Most of us that day had the same “I
can’t believe it” open-mouth stare
that Kingman exhibits on his 1978
card.
In fact, since 1976, the Cubs have
lost four games in which they scored
15 or more runs. No other team has
lost more than one.
Life is not easy as a Cub fan.
5/17/08
was a monster at the plate. His home
runs were titanic blasts. Many were
almost as high as they were long.
His strikeouts were just as BIG. Not
many check-swings in the lot of 1,816
times he fanned.
Despite possessing awesome power,
Kingman was a pain in the behind,
which explains why despite his 442
long flies, he played for seven
different teams during his 16-year
career. Frequently, Chicago
columnist Mike Royko referred to him
as "Dave Ding-Dong."
Kong twice led the National League
in homers (48 in ’79 with Chicago
and 37 in ’82 with the Mets), but hit
just .236 during his career and
played a horrendous left field. I mean
an absolutely awful left field,
frequented by his “Magellan routes”
and stone hands. With or without the
wind at Wrigley Field, routine fly balls
were an adventure.
Growing up a Cub fan, there were
many disappointments along the way.
One in particular was twenty-nine
years ago, May 17, 1979, when the
Cubbies scored 22 runs and still
couldn’t win!
The wind was blowing out at Wrigley
that day, when Kingman blasted
three homers and collected 6 RBIs in
the 23-22 loss to the Phillies. First
baseman Billy Buckner added a long
ball and drove in seven runs for the
North Siders. Cubs’ pitchers coughed
up five home runs--two to Mike
Schmidt, which included the game-
winning blast off Bruce Sutter in the
10th frame.
Most of us that day had the same “I
can’t believe it” open-mouth stare
that Kingman exhibits on his 1978
card.
In fact, since 1976, the Cubs have
lost four games in which they scored
15 or more runs. No other team has
lost more than one.
Life is not easy as a Cub fan.
5/17/08
