▁and ▁. ▁ ▁Career ▁King ▁began ▁his ▁professional ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁in ▁the ▁Card inals ' ▁farm ▁system , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁C ubs ▁as ▁a ▁Rule ▁ 5 ▁selection ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁After ▁sp ending ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁C ubs ' ▁big - le ague ▁ro ster , ▁he ▁was ▁trad ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Card inals ▁() ▁and ▁then ▁de alt ▁to ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁( ), ▁but ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁next ▁four ▁seasons ▁in ▁the ▁minor ▁le agues , ▁getting ▁into ▁only ▁ 5 6 ▁total ▁ML B ▁games ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁latter ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁International ▁League ' s ▁Most ▁Val u able ▁Player . ▁▁ ▁During ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁career , ▁King ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 , 1 2 5 ▁games , ▁batt ing ▁. 2 4 0 ▁with ▁ 6 9 9 ▁hits , ▁ 1 1 2 ▁doubles , ▁ 1 9 ▁tri ples , ▁ 1 1 7 ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁ 4 0 1 ▁runs ▁batt ed ▁in . ▁Notable ▁games ▁during ▁his ▁career ▁include ; ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁King ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁league ▁game ▁ever ▁cont ested ▁in ▁California , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁against ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁D od gers . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 2