Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

OJ King, Cherokee tribal member and Sequoyah High School graduate.

TAHLEQUAH, OK - OJ King, Cherokee tribal member and Sequoyah High School graduate, recently signed a contract to play baseball for the Cincinnati Reds.

The following articles about OJ King were reprinted from the Tahlequah Daily Press with permission from Kim Poindexter, managing editor.

The lazy days of summer have been anything but laid back for one of the area's best-ever athletes.

Last week, O.J. King, a 1998 graduate of Sequoyah High School, inked his name on a contract with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds organization. And it has been literally a cross-country ride in the days since.

The Reds were in Arlington for an Interleague game with the Texas Rangers on June 11, so team representatives flew King to Dallas to sign with the squad then. He immediately headed out for Billings, Montana the very next day, to begin High Rookie Camp in the Pioneer League -- where the team further evaluates its highly drafted players and designates them for assignment. It is likely King could begin his pro baseball career in either Class A or Double-A.

"I see a lot of very good players here, but it is nice to see them swinging wooden bats, instead of the aluminum bats we used in college", said King. "That makes them seem a little more human.

"I believe if I throw well over the next couple weeks, and continue to work hard, I should have a shot at getting a good assignment. I want to really push myself, and be at least close to the big leagues within the next three years. That is my goal right now. Of course, if it takes four years, I won't complain. It isn't like boot camp here. It is up to each player to work as hard as they want, so each person determines how good they want to be."

From Montana, King and his Billings Mustangs teammates ventured even further north, into Canada -- where he saw his first action as a professional player, on Thursday night.

"I threw five innings in my first start, and I think I had a pretty good outing, especially after the first inning or so," King said. "They got a couple hits on me early, but then I settled down, and did okay."

Okay to King is seven strikeouts and just three hits through those five innings. He gave up one earned run, and helped lead his Mustang squad to the win. Not bad for a rookie.

King knew from the time he was a little child that he wanted to play professional baseball. Sequoyah fans might remember King for his dominance on the basketball court, or his outstanding play on the gridiron. Many people thought he would make his mark in one of those sports, but baseball was in King's blood.

"From the time I was little, and I realized I was halfway good at baseball, that was what I wanted to play," said King. "I had a lot of people tell me I should take a basketball of football scholarship, and most people seem to remember me for what I did in those two sports while at Sequoyah. But I always knew I wanted to play baseball."

King, a 6-3, 210-pound right-hander, spent his first two years playing ball at Connors State College, then accepted an offer from NCAA Division I Northwest Louisiana State. His senior year, he was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year. As the Demons' ace, King posted an 8-4 record and a 2.63 earned run average, while leading the squad to a 43-17 record.

"I really believed I would be drafted, because I was having a great season -- until my last couple starts," King said. "I started getting a little tired late in the year, and that hurt me. But I was just hoping to make it somewhere in the top 10 rounds. I didn't care what team picked me, I just wanted to have the chance to play."

King went in the eighth round, the 225th overall pick. Since joining the Pioneer League last week, King said he has been clocked as fast as 94 miles per hour, and he feels good throwing his three pitches -- a fastball, curve and changeup.

"I hit 94 on the gun a couple times, and they consistently clock me around 90-92 mph with my fastball," said King. "We have a guy here that got drafted out of high school, and he throws 97 mph. Another guy throws 100 mph regularly, but nobody ever has a clue where the ball is going to go when he throws it. I think what helps me is that I can locate my pitches pretty well. If I keep it up, I am confident the Reds will give me a shot."

OJ King has since been called to Dayton, Ohio to play with the Dayton Dragons.

Baseball fans around Tahlequah remember Sequoyah High School's OJ King as one of the top players the area has ever produced.

Apparently, the Cincinnati Reds see the same characteristics in King, as they sent their newly-drafted young pitcher to Class A Dayton, of the Midwest League.

King started four games for the Billings Mustangs, the rookie league team he was sent to immediately after being drafted. That was more than enough work for the Reds to see that they had a special player. In his four starts, King went 2-0, with a 2.08 ERA. He also tossed a complete game shutout, and struck out 28 batters in 26 innings. He walked just five players, making the brass in the Cincinnati organization take notice.

"OJ is a very polished pitcher, especially for someone so young," said Grant Griesser, director of farm development for the Reds. "He knows how to take command of the strike zone, and he can throw all of his pitches for strikes. That is obvious, through his strikeout-to-walk ratio."

King has made one start since being assigned to Dayton, on July 10. He pitched six innings, allowing one run and striking out five, while giving up just two walks. He did not factor in the decision, but currently leads the team with a 1.50 ERA. He is scheduled to make his second start on Friday, when the Dragons travel to Lansing, Michigan to take on the Lugnuts.

The Dayton Dragons are one of the top minor league teams in the nation, and lead all of Class A ball in attendance. Dayton has sold out every home game in the last three years, and averages nearly 9,000 fans per night. Also, the close proximity to the Cincinnati Reds front office -- the team is based just half an hour away from the Reds offices -- makes it an even better fit for King.

"OJ really knows how to pitch," Griesser said. "Not a lot of players, especially pitchers, go straight to Class A ball. Obviously, it is very early in his professional baseball career, but at this point, I would say OJ is one of our top young pitching prospects. And it should help that he is playing so close to the front office, because a lot of people will get to see him in action."

Anyone interested in following King's progress at Dayton can do so through the Internet. The team's website, Dayton Dragons and the minor league teams for the Reds can also be accessed by visiting Cincinnati Reds.com.