Duane Kuiper, an American sportscaster and former professional baseball player, has been diagnosed with a health condition that requires chemotherapy treatments.
He missed calling much of the 2021 season after a cancer diagnosis but returned to a limited schedule.
The New York Yankees drafted Duane out of Jerome I. Case High School in the twelfth round of the 1968 MLB draft, but he chose to attend Indiana Hills Community College.
Similarly, the Seattle Pilots, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds drafted him but didn’t sign with any of these clubs.
Later, the Cleveland Indians selected him in the first round of the 1972 January Secondary Amateur Draft, and he spent three seasons in the farm system before receiving a September call-up in 1974.
On September 9, 1974, Duane made his major league debut as a late-inning defensive replacement for Jack Brohamer.
He was traded to the San Francisco Giants on November 15, 1981, and his last game for the Giants was on June 27, 1985. After retiring, he provided commentary for the Giants from 1986.
He is a 13-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who has called memorable Giants moments, including the franchise’s first World Series championship since 1954, in 2010.
Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow just really resonate because they played, and then they stayed, with the organization. The fans don’t just respect them and enjoy them for their play-by-play and color accounts. It’s more than that. At various points throughout their time broadcasting with us, we’ve had situations where the team didn’t have stars or popular players, and they were as popular as any of the people in uniform.
Giants President Larry Baer
Duane Kuiper’s Brave Cancer Fight and Love for the Game
Duane Kuiper has announced that he has undergone chemotherapy for cancer. He may need to take additional time off for treatment, while he plans to remain part of the broadcast team.
His strength and love for the game continue to inspire, proving that even in difficult times, his voice remains a vital part of Giants baseball.
In 2021, he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy, causing him to miss much of that season.
However, his determination and passion for the game brought him back on a limited schedule in 2022. He called all home games and selected road games remotely from San Francisco.
His resilience has been remarkable. During his 2021 treatment, he lost 53 pounds but still managed to work several broadcasts between chemotherapy sessions.
His dedication to the Giants and their fans has earned him widespread admiration.
I wanted to let you know that I may be missing a few more Giants broadcasts than usual and I wanted to share what’s going on with me. After some tests and visits with doctors, I was diagnosed with a medical condition that requires me to immediately begin chemotherapy treatment. I feel very fortunate that I have an incredibly talented team of doctors and healthcare specialists who will be assisting me throughout my treatment plan.
Duane Kuiper
Thank you for your prayers and for giving me the space and privacy to focus on my health at this time. While this was not the adventure I anticipated, I’m staying positive for a quick and full recovery.
Support for Kuiper has poured in from across baseball, including former Giants players and colleagues. They are all rallied behind him as he faces this latest challenge.
As he begins treatment, fans and the baseball community stand with him, hoping for his full recovery and return to the broadcast booth.
Duane Kuiper coughs mid – call ! You just can’t make this stuff up ! If Kuip isn’t sick, this call is not even close to being as epic, because even his physical condition was not prepared for this madness !
Jonathan King
Duane Kuiper Joined The Broadcast After A Tragic Loss
Over the 2021-22 season, life has thrown two devastating punches at Duane Kuiper, blows that would send a lesser man into retreat.
He battled cancer, undergoing chemotherapy while continuing to call San Francisco Giants games with his signature humor and grace.
Then, just as he was recovering, his beloved wife of 36 years, Michelle, passed away at 64, on February 20, 2022.
Duane shut out the world for weeks, grieving in solitude and the comfort of family.
His daughter, Dannon, and her husband, Zach, became his safe house, offering him moments of light in the gloom with their two newborn daughters, Andy, born in 2019, and Kit, born in 2021.
They are a lifesaver. They live just 2 miles away and I see ’em every day. It’s really amazing, after Michelle passed away, you don’t know if kids that age get it. But they do. I feel like I could go on vacation with Andy, just the two of us. One night, my son Cole suggested we take her to Benihana. It wound up being eight of us going. So they start flippin’ the shrimp and choppin’ away with the knives, and you should have seen the look on her face. Oh my God, greatest thing in the world. When they brought out the flaming onion ring tower — that $500 bill was well worth it, just to see her reaction.
Duane Kuiper
Now, as the Giants prepare for a new season, Duane is set to return to the broadcast booth alongside Mike Krukow.
Their chemistry, honed through decades of laughter, baseball, and unwavering friendship, will be a familiar comfort to fans.
My oncologist knows what it’s worth to me to broadcast the games, but my strength and energy is something I have to keep an eye on. Every other Monday I do immune therapy; it has side effects, but I’ve had none. Then I get a PET scan every four months. Just keeping my fingers crossed that everything is doing fine.
Duane Kuiper
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Duane Eugene Kuiper, the son of Henry J. Kuiper and Annette Hofman, was born on June 19, 1950, in Racine, Wisconsin.
- His middle brother, Jeff, is a television producer for the Giants and his younger brother, Glen, announced for the Oakland Athletics from 2006 to 2023.
- He coined a new slogan from a fan’s sign for the SF Giants club: “Giants baseball… torture!” in April 2010.
- His broadcasting career began while he was still a player, as he hosted his radio show on KNBR from 1982 to 1985.
