Harry Kingman

Henry Lees "Harry" Kingman (April 3, 1892 – December 27, 1982) was an American professional baseball first baseman. He played briefly in the major leagues for the New York Yankees in 1914. In later life, he worked against racial discrimination while working within institutions associated with the University of California, Berkeley and in retirement. In 1899, his father became a chaplain at Pomona College, and Harry eventually attended school there, becoming a star in five sports: baseball, basketball, tennis, track, and swimming. He signed his first major league contract, with the Washington Senators, in June 1914.

Major league baseball Frank Chance, watching Kingman work out during a game between the New York Yankees and the Senators, was impressed with his performance and asked Clark Griffith if he could get traded to the Yankees. Griffith agreed to the deal on June 29, knowing that the Senators already had a first baseman. He was originally a first baseman, but manager Frank Chance attempted to convert him into a pitcher. Kingman was the only Asian-born player from any country to appear in MLB until Japanese pitcher Masanori Murakami pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 1964.

Kingman stood at and weighed .

Later life Kingman left baseball after the season was over and got a job in Stiles Hall (originally the Berkeley YMCA) at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1921 to 1927, he traveled to China and Japan and worked as a missionary, while also playing and coaching baseball.

Kingman also coached the university's junior varsity baseball team until his retirement, and maintained an active interest in baseball.

After retiring in 1957, Kingman and his wife Ruth moved to Washington D.C. to work as civil rights lobbyists, until they fully retired in 1968.