I picked up this beauty to add to my autograph collection. We've got Dave Kingman at Wrigley Field in either 1979 or 1980. The on-card autograph looks very cool on the pennant. And it makes you realize just how terrible the autograph stickers they use now are.
Judging by his eyes, it looks like he made contact. With him, it was pretty much either a moon shot out of the park or a big whiff.
This card, from Upper Deck's Past Time Pennants set, 2005, is sooo much nicer looking than....
....this card, Kingman's first as a Cub. This 1978 Topps card has to be one of the ugliest of all time. (Maybe when they finish their 60 best cards of all time, Topps can do the 60 ugliest...that would be much more fun than the best 60!!) I don't know what's worse, the bad airbrush job, the ugly green backgound, or the strange look on Kingman's face? But when you put all three of those together, you get one really nasty looking card.
I guess his cards are like his hitting, all or nothing.
I have some great memories of Kong living in the Bay Area. He broke in with the Giants and later played for the A's. The greatest batting practice I ever remember was in 1986 when I took a trip to the Kingdome to see the A's. It was Kingman's last year with the A's and Canseco's rookie year. They were paired in BP in the Kingdome! Sitting in the "bleachers" (indoors!) all the kids were in the front row w/ their gloves. Kong stepped in and I ran 20 rows up and yelled "KONG!" The kids looked at me like I was a weirdo. Then he hit one 10 rows over my head. Then another, and another. Soon, the kids were 10 rows behind me shagging the balls. Then he started hitting them into the upper deck. Canseco was doing the same thing and the fans just lit up. Kids were going nuts. Jose hit one that was over 500 feet. Me? I shagged a BP "ground rule double" off the concrete cushion under the astroturf off of Dwayne Murphy.
ReplyDeleteYes, a slight improvement to say the least.
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