Beloved Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow announces his retirement after 36 seasons in broadcast booth
By Carlos E. Castañeda
San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow, a beloved and iconic fixture of the Bay Area sports market, announced on Thursday that he would retire at the end of the season.
Krukow, a former pitcher for the Giants from 1983 to 1989, became a color analyst on the Giants’ flagship KNBR radio after retiring as a player in 1990. A 20-game winner and All-Star in 1986, the Long Beach, Calif. native and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo grad also played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies before coming to San Francisco.
As of this season, the 74-year-old Krukow has been part of the Giants broadcast team alongside play-by-play announcer Duane Kuiper for 36 years on both radio and television.
The friendship between Krukow and Kuiper, his former teammate on the Giants, and the natural banter they have on the airwaves creates a warm, familiar feel for listeners. Tuning into their broadcasts are basically listening to old buddies talking baseball.
Krukow released the following statement through the team:
I just want to let everyone know that I will be retiring at the end of the season. I want to take this time to thank you for your incredible support.
Jennifer and I have been so blessed to be able to stay in the game for as long as we have and it’s really made it impossible to feel sorry for myself that my career is coming to an end.
We are bracing for the emotional hits we know we are going to feel in the next few weeks. Jennifer and I are wondering if it is even possible to let everyone know how deeply we love and respect our Giants family.
Our time together has been a gift.
When Green Day asked, “I hope you’ve had the time of your lives,” we certainly have.
Thank you.
Since the mid-2000s, Krukow has been battling inclusion body myositis, a rare, progressive and incurable muscle disease. He publicly revealed the condition in 2014, a disease that causes gradual weakness and muscle wasting, particularly in the thighs and lower legs as well as the wrists and fingers. After instances of falling, he began using leg braces and walking sticks, and eventually a motorized scooter.
Krukow is a 13-time local Emmy award winner, a three-time California Sportscaster of the Year, and has been multi-year finalist for the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award, which recognizes excellence in baseball broadcasting.
He has always been known for his expert color commentary and insights as a former major leaguer, and is beloved for his passion and loyalty to the team and the Giants fan base. Krukow’s broadcasts are dotted with his signature and colorful terminology, such as “Grab some pine, meat!” when an opposing batter strikes out, “Ownage is ownage,” when a pitcher consistently dominates a specific hitter (or vice versa), or “Gamer babes,” when affectionately referring to dedicated female fans in the stands.
The Giants, who will undoubtably honor Krukow in some special way for his retirement, currently honor Krukow with a plague on the team’s Wall of Fame at Oracle Park.
