Of course, King's chances were greater than most. For the last 25 years, he practically lived in big-league ballparks.

King, a lifelong Montgomery County resident, recently retired from his post as Phillies advance scout. What a way to go out - first with a World Series ring and now this:

Tomorrow night in Los Angeles, King will receive the prestigious George Genovese Lifetime Achievement Award in Scouting given annually by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation. Hall of Famers George Brett and Goose Gossage will also receive awards, along with members of the famed Alou family.

King, 65, will receive his award from former Phils general manager Pat Gillick. Commissioner Bud Selig and Hall of Famers Dave Winfield and Tommy Lasorda will also be presenters at the banquet that is annually attended by more than 1,500.

"What does Tommy always say, he's Dodger blue, right?" King said. "Well, I'm Phillies red."

King, who will stay with the Phillies in a pro scouting role that will require less travel, graduated from Upper Merion High in 1962 and was pitching in the Baltimore Orioles system days later. A lefthander, he spent six seasons in the O's system and one in the White Sox' before his elbow had enough.

Before the 1975 season, he sent a note to one of his former minor-league managers, Billy DeMars, who had become a coach with the Phillies. King wished DeMars luck and in the postscript joked that he was available if the Phils ever needed "a flamethrower." DeMars called King and told him to be at Veterans Stadium the next day. The Phils needed a batting practice pitcher.

Schmidt, Luzinski, Maddox and the guys loved King's meaty serves. The team asked him to keep coming.

King eventually began traveling with the team and during a 1983 losing streak was asked to deliver the lineup card to home plate. The Phils won, and he ended up bringing out the card for weeks. When the games began, he sat in the dugout and kept defensive charts.

During the 1984 season, Hugh Alexander stepped down as the team's advance scout. The Phils asked King to take the job.

Advance scouts are important pieces to a successful team. They sit behind the backstop and spy on future opponents. What pitches does this guy throw? What pitches can't this guy hit? How do you position this guy? Which outfielder can be run on? The advance scout prepares reports on opponents, then passes the intelligence on to his team as it prepares for a series. The team plays the game, and the advance scout moves on, always one step ahead and out of the spotlight.

In October, King was part of a group of a dozen scouts that provided surveillance on the Phillies postseason opponents. Just yesterday, he picked up pictures he took during the victory parade.

Gregarious and good-natured, King has a million stories - yes, he did catch three foul balls in 2005 - and just about as many friends in the game. There isn't a day he doesn't think of John Vukovich, his old Phillies pal who died two years ago. King recalled meeting the team in Los Angeles before a series against the Dodgers. He and Vukovich, then a coach, were talking about the best way to pitch Tim Wallach. They disagreed, and Vukovich got hot. (Vuke loved to push King's buttons.) King packed his briefcase, left the meeting in a huff and drove to his next stop, San Diego. At 3 a.m., the phone in his hotel room rang.

"Just wanted to make sure you made it OK," the gruff voice (Vukovich's) on the other end said before abruptly hanging up.

King stayed 158 nights in hotels last year. Though he loved his job, he says the travel got to him - that and the fact his wife, Carol Ann, had adopted another poodle every time he got home. (They have five). In his new role, King will cover the more manageable International League, while Craig Colbert takes over as advance man. When he's not on the road, King tutors young players at his Baseball school, Kingplex, in Limerick.

Life on the road provided its share of stories, like that flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles way back when. King kept thinking the woman next to him looked familiar. He struck up a conversation with her. When the plane landed, Annette Funicello insisted that her limo driver give the nice Phillies scout a ride to his hotel.

From batting practice pitcher to advance scout to a World Series victory parade, Hank King has had quite a ride. Tomorrow night, he takes some well-deserved bows.

Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.