Kingman?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

MBTN wants to know if this is Kingman and if so, what he's doing wearing No. 5.

Thanks.


http://www.mbtn.net/kingman-kontroversy

[metirish]

I read this on your site earlier and not that I would know but it looks like it's a spring training kit.

Fantastic picture .

[Guest AG/DC]

Looks like Kong's harder drinking brother.

Did they have unstriped whites in 1981?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I don;t believe so. It's the buttons that give this away as a road joisey.

Got a response on the web page suggesting spring training too. He'd be in the jersey of the guy he was traded for, Stevie Wonder.

Edit -- found it: "Kingman will wear No. 5 until Scott Holman, who now wears his old No. 26, is shipped out."
--Sporting News, March 21, 1981

[Guest AG/DC]

Wow.

That makes sense. He looks to be in what used to be called spring training shape.

Here in 1981 he's not so jowly and his moustache is neater with some handlebar corners.

[stevejrogers]

More evidence from a Met program from early in 1981



Bat obscures the number, but you can make out a 5 there.

[stevejrogers]

Scorecard roster page is as of March and he is wearing 26 accordingly! Holman is actually listed as 21 so maybe we have a "exchange" situation going.

[metirish]

Kingman was at the game today, Keith said he had a long conversation with him before the game.

[Guest AG/DC]

Did he say "Keith, you're my ticket back into here"?

[metirish]

No but Gary didn't know he was there and sounded surprised saying that Kingman had not been there(Shea) in years.


Of course he might not have known he was there before.