Dave Kingman Chicago Cubs Publications

Sports Illustrated August 20 1979 John Jefferson/San Diego Chargers on Cover, Dave Kingman/Chicago Cubs, Kellen Winslow/San Diego Chargers, Hang Gliders in Utah, Rick DeMont/Olympic Swimmer

Dave Kingman, nicknamed "Kong" and "Sky King," is a former who played for the San Francisco Giants (1971-1974), New York Mets (1975-1977, 1981-1983), San Diego Padres (1977), California Angels (1977), New York Yankees (1977), Chicago Cubs (1978-1980) and Oakland Athletics (1984-1986). The towering 6'6" Kingman became one of the most feared sluggers of the 1970s and 1980s. His height and long-armed, sweeping swing were sufficient to propel a baseball a very long distance when he connected solidly. It was said of him that he was one of those players that when he came to bat, everyone in the park stopped whatever they were doing to watch him. He hit plenty of home runs, and he could hit them farther than many had ever seen, once over 530 feet; on five separate occasions he hit three home runs in a game. Kingman had his best year in 1979, when he played his first full season for the Cubs, hitting an impressive .288 with a National League-leading 48 homers, as well as 115 runs batted in and 97 runs scored.