*Lamar King Jr. (Vancouver, B.C.) was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. He has signed with the Padres. His signing bonus is $502,800. This is an article that Bob Elliott wrote about King Jr. prior to the draft.

June 15, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Most people have heard the standard question when they roll up to a border crossing: “Anything to declare?”

Carmela King was seven months pregnant and headed home to Vancouver for her baby shower. Sitting second in line at the Peace Arch on a Friday night in early December 2003, her life changed. When she reached the customs agent, the conversation went like this ...

Customs: “Anything to declare?”

Carmela: “Yes ... my water just broke. What do I do? Go back or drive ahead?”

“C’mon in ... then, your child will be a dual citizen.”

Carmela grew up in the Point Grey area of Vancouver, near the University of British Columbia. This was not a visit from a tourist. She moved to Seattle after she wed Seattle Seahawks defensive end Lamar King, who was in Minneapolis getting ready to play a Saturday game against the Minnesota Vikings.

But instead of a three-hour northbound drive that night to her hometown for her baby shower, the expectant mom headed to Women’s Hospital, arriving at 7:30. Lamar arrived at 2:36 a.m. The shower was moved to the hospital. Carmela brought her baby to the baby shower.

* * *

Kingston Ponies first baseman Guy White had a stock answer when crossing at Ivy Lea, Ont., after a weekend in Syracuse NY. When asked “Anything to declare?” ... “Yes, two wins out of three,” or “four hits, five RBIs.”

Lamar King’s father, also named Lamar, was a first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks

* * *

Well, that’s a nice story, and it is likely to become a nicer story. After Lamar’s playing career with the Seahawks, the family moved to Perry Hall, MD, outside of Baltimore. Lamar, Jr. grew up to be a catcher. In the past year he has played for Calvert Hall College, the Canes National and the New York Mets Scout Team.

And the Vancouver-born catcher could be one of the top three Canuck kings , when it comes to next month’s draft. Well, according to our rankings, the top three are: Langley Blaze RHP Jacob Zibin (Langley, BC), former North Shore Twin RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, BC) of the Oregon University Ducks and ABC grad Cedric de Grandpre (St-Simon, Que.) of the Chipola Indians.

But some say King could be the second Canuck selected. Others says he will be third. Amateur scouts say he could go any where between the fourth and seventh rounds ... or he could go as high as the third.

Despite arriving two months early and entering the world at six pounds, three ounces, he has “growed up good,” ... all the way to 6-foot-3, 215 pounds.

“I have dual citizenship” said Lamar, Jr. “And I know what that means. My father, a San Diego Padres scout and another scout all told me about the opportunity I’ll have to play for Canada.

“I would love to play for my home team. That would be a dream.”

Freddie Freeman and Jameson Taillon played for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. The difference is King was born in Canada. The others were not, but their parents were, thus making them eligible.

King says his favourite major-league team is Canada’s only big-league team.

“I’m a big Blue Jays fan,” Lamar, Jr. said. “I loved watching Jose Bautista play and I love watching Vlady Guerrero’s power.”

Lamar, Jr. said “my whole side of my mom’s family lives in West Vancouver, we would visit a lot,” although COVID-19 grounded the Kings from cross-border travels.

“Our family’s favourite thing to do in Vancouver is to walk the Sea Wall (around Stanley Park), I think it’s about six miles (6.2),” said Lamar, Jr. “And I love maple syrup.”

So there is a piece — a large piece of Canadiana that hit 14 home runs in 27 games for his high school, eliminated in the semi-finals — not that far from Camden Yards. Whether he attends Georgia Tech, where he has committed, or signs a contract — the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies have shown interest — there is no doubt the young man has a future.

* * *

Never having crossed the Peace Arch, I asked Carmela “is it a bridge, a tunnel or a highway?” I was worried about her having a baby in some place like the Windsor tunnel or atop the Ambassador Bridge or backed up in Buffalo Peace Bridge traffic?

“It was a crossing,” Carmela said. “It was hilarious. I told my girlfriends to meet me at the hospital — my husband was in Minnesota with the Seahawks.”

Her pals since high school — Kristen Sledding, Angela Sutter and Karla Kingle — took turns keeping her company. And one phoned Lamar with the news that Lamar, Jr. had arrived.

“My husband was phoning the hospital so often the hospital had to tell him to stop ... someone would call him,” Carmela said.

The Seahawks flew home that Saturday night and on Sunday morn father King arrived — although his trip wasn’t easy. His wallet was left on the plane and he had to double back.

Her son’s passion is different than her husband’s or hers.

“I loved the Vancouver Canucks, guys like Trevor Linden and Mark Messier,” said Carmella. “In Vancouver we had the Canucks, the CFL and the (triple-A) Canadians ... baseball was not that big.

“Now the Blue Jays do such a good job representing Canada. My step mom is obsessed, she sits watching the game wearing her Jays hat. She can quote stats.”

* * *

Why not football like dad? Lamar Sr. was a first rounder out of Saginaw State, Mike Holmgren’s first pick as head coach and general manager

“Both of my parents would not let me (choose football), I didn’t argue,” Lamar, Jr. said. “I got their point. My father had a lot of injuries in the NFL. Baseball has always been my favourite sport.”

Lamar Sr. played with the Seahawks for five seasons. Reading about him reminded me of Joe Carter’s thought on football: “I could throw the football from my own 10 roughly 60 yards and I loved football in grade 9, but I quit. Why? Because I would watch college guys score touchdowns on TV and say ‘Hi Mom’ into the camera and the next weekend see them on crutches.”

With the Seahawks, Lamar Sr. suffered a dislocated left shoulder, tearing his labrum. He injured his calf muscle, had a calf strain and micro-fracture surgery on his left knee. He signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but injured his left calf and didn’t play a game.

Lamar, Jr. says he is pleased with his defensive abilities, but is more of a “slugger.” Since age 14 he has made all-tournament teams at Perfect Game events 14 times.

Sounds like a resume fit for a King.