Former Giants pitcher Mike Krukow announced Thursday that he is retiring from the San Francisco broadcast booth at the end of the season following 37 years on the air
He arrived in San Francisco following a December 1982 trade and never left. After the final season of his career in 1989, he joined the Giants broadcasts on a part-time basis in 1990 and became a full-time broadcaster a few years later.
The Giants have employed some of the game’s legendary announcers since moving to San Francisco from New York in 1958, including Russ Hodges, Al Michaels, Lon Simmons, Tim McCarver and Jon Miller — all of them winners of the Ford C. Frick award for broadcasters given by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Krukow has been embraced by Giants fans through the years and issued a statement Thursday that stated how much the job has meant for himself and his wife, Jennifer.
“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,” he said. “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.”
Krukow, 74, has a degenerative muscle condition that has impacted his ability to travel with the Giants this decade. He has joined former Giants teammate and longtime broadcast partner Duane Kuiper remotely on broadcasts since the 2020 season, The Athletic reported.
Giants president and CEO Larry Baer said the franchise will honor Krukow in a ceremony at Oracle Park on Sept. 27.
“While we knew this day would eventually come, Mike Krukow stepping away from the broadcast booth is a deeply emotional moment for our Giants family,” Baer said in a statement.
“On behalf of our extended Giants family, I want to express our profound gratitude for everything Kruk has given — not only to this franchise, but to each of us personally. For decades, he has shared far more than his voice. He has been our spiritual leader.”
“Whether someone is sitting in the ballpark, watching from home, or listening on the radio halfway around the world, Kruk makes every Giants fan feel like they are part of something bigger — a family,” Baer continued.
“We often talk about what it means to be a Forever Giant. No one embodies that more completely than Kruk. His impact extends far beyond the broadcast booth. He’s been one of the great ambassadors for this franchise, and his passion, spirit, character and love for the Giants have shaped this organization for generations.”
As a pitcher, Krukow spent 14 seasons in the majors with the Chicago Cubs (1976-81), Philadelphia Phillies (1982) and Giants.
The right-hander had a career record of 124-117 and a 3.90 ERA in 369 appearances (355 starts).