The 6\' 6" Kingman was a power hitter, who twice led the National League in home runs. Known for his long home runs, Kingman hit one measured at over 530 feet. Kingman struck out frequently, and posted a low batting average and on-base percentage. His 1,816 strikeouts was the fourth-highest total in MLB history at the time of his retirement. As a result of the increase in frequency of strikeouts in the intervening period, he currently ranks eighteenth as of January 2019. Kingman finished in the top 25 voting for National League Most Valuable Player four times (1972, 1975, 1976, and 1979) and American League Most Valuable Player once (1984).\n', '

Born in Pendleton, Oregon in 1948, Kingman moved with his family to Denver, Colorado in 1951, to Los Angeles, California in 1954 and finally to Mount Prospect, Illinois, as Kingman\'s father worked for United Airlines and moved the family as needed for his career. Kingman attended Prospect High School, where he was a center and a forward on the basketball team, being named All-Area, a wide receiver and safety on the football team, and a star pitcher on the baseball team. Kingman threw a no-hitter against Niles North High School on April 6, 1967. In his final high school game, he hit four home runs and pitched a two hit shutout.\n', '

He was drafted by the California Angels out of high school in the second round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft, and by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round of the 1968 draft, but chose, instead, to attend the University of Southern California (USC) to play college baseball for the USC Trojans under coach Rod Dedeaux, after a year at Harper Junior College in Palatine, Illinois. Kingman began as a pitcher before being converted to an outfielder.\n', '

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