King began his professional baseball career in 1962 with the barnstorming Negro league Indianapolis Clowns, and played for the team through 1964.

He made his major league debut at age 23 with the Houston Astros on September 6, 1967 with an eighth-inning, pinch-hit ground out against future Baseball Hall of Fame member Gaylord Perry.

[7] King spent the majority of the 1968 season in the minor leagues but, did appear in 27 games with the Astros.

[8] King started the 1972 season in a platoon role alongside right-hand hitting catcher, Dick Billings.

[3] The Reds were looking to add to their catching lineup due to questions about Johnny Bench's playing future, as he'd had a recent diagnosis that would require lung surgery.

[11] King became the Reds' third string catcher, playing behind starter and future Baseball Hall of Famer Bench and second stringer Bill Plummer.

[13][12] In the only postseason appearance of his career, King had one hit in three at bats as the Reds lost to the New York Mets in the 1973 National League Championship Series.

[16] As a designated hitter for the Saltillo Saraperos in 1979, he hit 19 home runs and led the league with 124 walks.

[11] The count was two balls and two strikes when King hit a walk-off home run, again against Sutton's screwball.

[11][18] In the moment, Reds play-by-play announcer Al Michaels predicted, "Boy, I tell you, if anything can turn a season around it is that play right there.