Earlier this month I was in Arizona for my annual Spring Training get-away (I prefer AZ as all the teams are close together. Five games in 3 days is not something you can really do in Florida.)
One of the things I really love about Spring Training is how so many former ballplayers come out. This trip was no exception as I met Bob Feller, Rollie Fingers, Fergie Jenkins, Gaylord Perry and Willie Wilson. The 2 guys I was most happy to meet though were Dave Kingman (at a Giants game) and George Foster (at a Reds game).
Both men were very friendly and I spoke to each briefly about their times with the Mets. Kingman (who was sitting next to Perry at a signing) chuckled when I spoke about THE trade, turned to Gaylord and said “You know they still refer to that as Black Tuesday.” Foster, who was by himself, laughed when I reminded him of his statement upon signing with the Mets, that the planes at LaGuardia would have to adjust their flight pattern because of his homeruns.
What struck me about both players though were their respective sizes. First, Kingman is a BIG man. Standing next to him I felt like I was a child again. He’s not just tall though – his hands are big as well.
Foster on the other hand is not nearly as tall (Kong is listed at 6’6″, Foster at 6’1”), but George’s forearms (and he is 61) were still mighty impressive. I can only imagine what they were like 25 years ago in his prime.
Combined the 2 men hit almost 800 homeruns – all of them without a hint of anything unnatural.
Hey, where’s the blue cap??
About Kong. Yes, he is a big man. Ralph Kiner would always rave about his “great extension.” Personally, I don’t think I saw a hitter with greater power. Once, playing for the Giants against the Mets at Shea, he flied out to the warning track in straightaway left on a checked swing. Ask Jerry Grote about that. He was catching at the time. Normally Grote was grumpy and uncommunicative, but after that game he expressed his amazement at Kingman’s prowess.
Ha! Good one.
I was actually wearing a generic Babe Ruth Birthday Party cap – no team designation.
I’m just shocked to see Kingman smiling. Let’s face it, that’s not a look that made an appearance very often at Shea…lol
Kingman seems quite friendly in the Mets Yearbook videos.
you can do 5 games in 3 days in the Grapefruit League. you just need teams to schedule more night games. i’ll tell you though, 5 in 3 is exhausting.
People forget George Foster was orginally on Giants (in fact I have his rookie baseball card.) and the last team he played for was the White Sox.
@Former – yeah, his friendliness really took me back at first….was not expecting such a nice guy
@dyhrdmet – I don’t know if you really can do 5 in 3 in FL. I did 2 night games in AZ to pull it off and they were both within close driving distance. The problem in FL is the facilities are so far apart
@jesse – I remembered the Giants, but after he was released from the Mets I had forgotten he landed with Chicago
george foster smacked me at a autograph signing because i asked him why wasent he wearing a mets jersey.
foster was just another example of the mets getting star players at the end of there careers..mickey lolich anyone?
Does anybody remember the homerun Kingman hit on an opening day at Shea that traveled about 500ft into the parking lot?
Kingman hit lots of longballs…I don’t remember that one but I remember quite a few reaching way up the scoreboard. and what about Strawberry at Olympic Stadium!