San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King revealed ahead of Father's Day weekend in June 2026 how his father, Jim King, abandoned a television news career to build an ice cream business that supported his family and baseball development.
The career transition allowed the elder King to establish a stable home in Rhode Island for Michael and his sister Olivia, ending a cycle of frequent relocations caused by short-term broadcasting contracts across the Northeast, according to a report by MLB.
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A Father's Dedication
Michael King emphasized his father's unwavering dedication to supporting his athletic interests despite the exhausting demands of managing a new business venture.
"I’ve always said I want to be most like my dad in that he never said no to me wanting to play anything," said Michael King.
"Whether it’s taking grounders, playing basketball. He had a tough day at work, he’s tired or whatever, he never said no."
The decision to change industries emerged after the family decided that moving every few years for television roles was no longer sustainable for their young children.
"My mom was like, ‘We can’t keep doing this with the kids,’" recalled Michael King. "‘We’ve got to figure out something.
We can’t just be moving them every couple of years.’ So he started his own ice cream company."
Jim King commercialized a family sherbet recipe from his grandmother, launching a brand called Gaga's ice cream that he sold to local vendors despite initial family doubts.
