| Duane Kuiper | |
|---|---|
| Second baseman | |
| Born: June 19, 1950 Racine, Wisconsin |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 9, 1974 for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 27, 1985 for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .271 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Hits | 971 |
| Runs batted in | 263 |
| Teams | |
Duane Eugene Kuiper (born June 19, 1950) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and is currently a five-time Emmy award-winning[1] radio and television sportscaster for the San Francisco Giants.[2] Along with former major league pitcher Mike Krukow, he forms the broadcast duo known as "Kruk and Kuip".[2]
Contents |
Kuiper was drafted by the New York Yankees out of Jerome I. Case High School in Racine, Wisconsin in the twelfth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft, but chose instead to attend Indian Hills Community College. He was drafted by the Seattle Pilots, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds while attending Indian Hills, but did not sign with any of these clubs. After a season at Southern Illinois University, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 1971 June Secondary Amateur Draft, but again did not sign. It wasn't until graduating from Southern Illinois that Kuiper finally said yes to the Cleveland Indians, who drafted him in the first round of the 1972 January Secondary Amateur Draft.
Kuiper spent three seasons in the Indians' farm system, batting .295 with six home runs and 148 runs batted in before receiving a September call-up in 1974. He made his major league debut on September 9 as a late inning defensive replacement for Jack Brohamer, and grounded into a double play in his only at-bat.[3] However, he fared far better in his future plate appearances, collecting nine singles, two doubles, two walks and four RBIs in 24 plate appearances.
Though Kuiper spent time with the triple A Oklahoma City 89ers in 1975, he spent most of the season in the majors, splitting time with Brohamer at second base, and batting second in manager Frank Robinson's batting order. Following the season, the Indians dealt Brohamer to the White Sox, clearing a spot for Kuiper to play everyday.
Though Kuiper was not much of an offensive threat to opposing teams, he proved to be an above average defender, leading American League second basemen in fielding percentage in 1976 and 1979. He hit his only career home run against Chicago White Sox pitcher Steve Stone on August 29, 1977.[4] Kuiper holds the major league record for most career at-bats with exactly one home run.[5] Since the game in question was on national television, Kuiper's singular feat was captured on video. (The Giants telecasts, for which Kuiper is currently an announcer, will run the highlight from time to time to poke fun at him.)
On July 27, 1978, Kuiper hit two bases-loaded triples against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.[6] He is one of only three Major League players to accomplish this feat.
Shortly after Kuiper suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss most of the 1980 season, the Indians acquired Alan Bannister from the White Sox. The two platooned at second in 1981. Following the season, Kuiper was dealt to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Ed Whitson.
Kuiper backed up Hall of famer Joe Morgan his first season in San Francisco, and batted .255 in three plus seasons platooning at second for the Giants before being released by the club on June 28, 1985.
Kuiper is a radio and television sportscaster for the San Francisco Giants, and is part of the duo known as "Kruk and Kuip" along with former major league pitcher, Mike Krukow. Kuiper, a five-time Emmy Award winner, is the play-by-play broadcaster for games on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.[7]
Both Krukow and Kuiper can be heard in the Electronic Arts video games MVP Baseball 2003, MVP Baseball 2004, and MVP Baseball 2005. Kuiper made the TV call for Barry Bonds' historic 756th home run which broke Hank Aaron's record, although the historic call is that of KNBR radio announcer Jon Miller. His call of Bonds' 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth however is considered the historic call for that home run as radio announcer Dave Flemming's microphone cut out at the exact moment the ball was hit.[8]
On November 1, 2010, Kuiper made the historic call for the final out of the Game 5 of the 2010 World Series that eventually led the Giants to their first title since 1954:
| “ | Cruz waiting on Wilson. And the right hander for the Giants throws...SWING AND A MISS! AND THAT'S IT! The Giants... for the first time in 52 years, the Giants are world champions, as they come POURING OUT OF THE DUGOUT....circling Brian Wilson! The bullpen...flying in from left-center field...dancing, hugging....and you can't help but think, that this group is celebrating....for the Say Hey kid, for Will The Thrill, celebrating for number 25, and celebrating for all you Giants fans, wherever you are... Giants fans...this party is just getting started! | ” |
While principally a television play-by-play announcer, Kuiper also shares radio play-by-play duties with Dave Flemming when the Giants television broadcast is carried by NBC or ESPN and Jon Miller handles the television play-by-play. He also fills in on the radio side when Flemming is unable to attend games due to his second job as a Stanford Cardinal radio announcer. During Giants post-season play, Kuiper along with other available Giants broadcasters all move to the radio side while the television broadcasts are handled by network sportscasters.
Kuiper is noted for his beginning and end phrase, either on television or on the radio: after the result of the first batter of the game, he calls, "And that's how this game gets started"; When each ball game is over, Kuiper calls, "And that's the ball game!"
Kuiper also has a deep voice when a player swings and misses, when a dramatic play is made, and when he calls home runs. When Kuiper states the pitch count on a batter, he would often call "nothing" in lieu of calling "a ball" and the current number of strikes when the count is "no balls". Kuiper often uses the phrase "Got 'em!" for when an out is recorded. His trademark home run call is "He hits it high... hits it deep... it is (or hits it) OUTTA HERE!" or "HIGH DRIVE...LEFT (or RIGHT) FIELD... IT IS (sometimes: THIS BABY IS) OUTTA HERE!" Kruk and Kuip are also famous for their line, "Grab some pine, meat!" when a batter strikes out. In May 2010, Kuiper coined a new slogan from a fan's sign for the SF Giants club: "Giants baseball... torture!" This slogan is used generally if the games are either tense, tight, or very close in which the Giants have later won by a small margin.
Kuiper is a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, where he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. His roommate was Dan Radison, currently the first base coach for the Washington Nationals. Kuiper now lives in Danville, California, with his wife Michelle, son Cole, and daughter Dannon.
Duane was only the first of a family of baseball broadcasters, all working in the San Francisco Bay Area. His younger brother, Glen Kuiper, is the play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics, a job mirroring his older brother's a few miles across the bay. Their middle brother, Jeff, is a television producer for the Giants who produces Duane's broadcasts.[8]
He is the cousin of former MLB player Dick Bosman.[9]