Hal King
Born: 2/1/1944 in Oviedo, FL, USA
Died: 3/23/2019 in Oviedo, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1967-09-06 | Final Game: 1974-10-01
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Harold King
Biography
Hal King was a professional baseball player born in 1944, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1974. Known primarily as a position player, King appeared in 322 games throughout his career. He played during a transformative period in baseball, when the sport was beginning to expand in popularity and the dynamics of play were evolving. His tenure in the league coincided with the rise of power hitting, a trend that he contributed to with 24 home runs and 82 RBIs, reflecting a solid but not overwhelming offensive presence.
King's career batting average stood at .214, with a total of 146 hits. While he did not achieve the same notoriety as some of his contemporaries, his contributions to the teams he played for were significant at a time when the game was increasingly competitive. He also demonstrated speed on the base paths, recording one stolen base. Despite not becoming a household name, Hal King remains a part of baseball history, representing the hardworking players of the late 1960s and early 1970s who laid the groundwork for the future of the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 322 | 683 | 67 | 146 | 26 | 3 | 24 | 82 | 1 | 104 | 158 | 0.214 | 0.325 | 0.366 | 0.691 | 430.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | HOU | NL | 15 | 44 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | HOU | NL | 27 | 55 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 0.145 | -224.5 |
| 1970 | ATL | NL | 89 | 204 | 29 | 53 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 30 | 1 | 32 | 41 | 0.260 | 665.9 |
| 1971 | ATL | NL | 86 | 198 | 14 | 41 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 29 | 43 | 0.207 | -79.5 |
| 1972 | TEX | AL | 50 | 122 | 12 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 25 | 35 | 0.180 | 68.8 |
| 1973 | CIN | NL | 35 | 43 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0.186 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | CIN | NL | 20 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.176 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | NLCS | CIN | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 204 | 160 | 948 | 71 | 19 | 6 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | HOU | C | 11 | 11 | 62 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | HOU | C | 19 | 10 | 83 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | ATL | C | 62 | 51 | 316 | 14 | 5 | 1 |
| 1971 | ATL | C | 60 | 48 | 274 | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| 1972 | TEX | C | 38 | 34 | 181 | 16 | 6 | 3 |
| 1973 | CIN | C | 9 | 5 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | CIN | C | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 204 |