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SF Giants legendary broadcaster Duane Kuiper to undergo chemotherapy

Marc Delucchi|
After the SF Giants agreed to a four-year contract extension with KNBR, fans can expect to here plenty of Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper on 680 AM. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
After the SF Giants agreed to a four-year contract extension with KNBR, fans can expect to here plenty of Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper on 680 AM. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SF Giants, Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow
NBC Sports Bay Area television announcers Mike Krukow (left) and Duane Kuiper call the game from different booths during the first inning of the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers at Oracle Park. (Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)

SF Giants broadcasts will be missing a familiar voice on some Giants broadcasts this season. Longtime broadcaster Duane Kuiper released a statement revealing that he will likely be missing “a few more Giants broadcasts than usual” as he undergoes chemotherapy to treat an undisclosed medical condition. Kuiper is 71 years old. Kuiper has been one of the primary voices of Giants baseball alongside his friend and former teammate Mike Krukow for more than two decades.

Kuiper was a first-round pick in the 1972 draft by the Cleveland Baseball Team. He had made his big-league debut with Cleveland in less than two years after he was drafted and became their primary second baseman from 1976-1980. Then, after a collision at second base gave him a serious knee injury, Kuiper fell into a platoon role in 1981 before he was traded to the Giants the following offseason.

Kuiper spent parts of four seasons with the Giants before officially announcing his retirement as a player. Already a strong voice on local Bay Area radio, Kuiper began commentating on Giants games in 1986. Aside from the 1993 season, when fears that the Giants would be moved to Florida led Kuiper to take a one-year deal to broadcast Rockies games, he has been one of the Giants’ broadcasters in every one of the 35 years since.

You can read Kuiper’s full statement alongside those by the Giants and NBC Sports Bay Area below.

"“Duane is a tremendous professional and an excellent person. He has the complete and unconditional support of his colleagues and friends at NBC Sports Bay Area, and we offer our positive thoughts and encouragement to him and his loved ones as he manages his health. His entire professional family is wishing for a successful recovery.” -NBC Sports Bay Area"

Duane Kuiper is one of the best broadcasters in MLB history. SF Giants fans will surely miss his presence on the broadcast. More importantly, they, alongside the entire Around the Foghorn team, wish the broadcasting legend a healthy recovery as quickly as possible.

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