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San Francisco Chronicle​

Kruk & Kuip let fans in on behind-the-scenes shenanigans during SF Sketchfest tribute

Since they were San Francisco Giants teammates, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper had a rule: if they didn't laugh 'very hard' at least five times every game, then they'd had a bad night. The two former baseball pros, first brought together during a blustery three-season tenure at Candlestick Park from 1983-85, recall regularly passing time on the bench by making crude commentary during gameplay — provided it remained safely out of earshot of no-nonsense manager Frank Robinson. That banter's never stopped. The duo, affectionately known by fans as Kruk & Kuip, have been the voice of Giants gametime TV since 1990, with former pitcher Krukow on color commentary and the one-time infielder Kuiper on play-by-play. But on a rare off-night between Giants home games, the Hall of Fame-bound broadcasters came out of the booth for a special tribute presented by SF Sketchfest. The friends arrived onto the Sydney Goldstein Theatre stage Thursday, May 15, decked in matching sequin-encrusted gold and silver blazers, capped off with comical flaming torch headwear courtesy of the newly christened Hoo Lee Gans, a fan club for Korean outfielder and rising Giants star Jung Hoo Lee. Eager to see their cherished interplay in action, moderator Jesse Thorn, of NPR's 'Bullseye,' quickly tasked Kruk & Kuip with providing on-the-spot commentary for highlight footage from their own careers. And there's nothing quite like hearing Kuiper utter his iconic 'it ... is ... OUTTA here' in reference to his own — and only — home run of his 11-year MLB career. 'It's weird because as a regular listener, I hear them talk almost on a daily basis. But this was different,' said Peter Bellamy, who drove in from Stockton. 'Not only was it cool to hear them swear, but it was also really sweet to see how much they both still mean to each other after all this time.' Kuiper's meta-call of his home run was just one of many highlights of the evening, which even featured limited merchandise designed by local retailer San Franpsycho like hats emblazoned with the pair's popular 'Gamer Babe' catchphrase. Though occasionally rambunctious, the crowd mostly channeled an atmosphere of reverence as they listened to the pair reminisce about their singular tenure as teammates on the field, then partners calling the game in the booth. 'He didn't like me, and I thought he was just OK,' Kuiper recalled with a laugh. 'He was a peacock,' Krukow told Thorn, 'so I had half an attitude against him. And then when I got traded to the Giants and got to the clubhouse, it took me about five minutes to fall in love with him.' The close friends consistently exuded the confidence of a long-running vaudeville act. While unscripted, every line sounded polished as they shared their stories, ranging from an affinity for Croix de Candlestick pins (free to those who endured extra-innings in the notoriously chilly weather at the Giants now-defunct former home) to the decades of pranks they pulled on friends and colleagues. 'During my time sharing the booth with (Hall of Fame broadcaster) Joe Morgan, he would take his headset off and ask someone for a hotdog,' Kuiper gleefully shared. 'I could see Joe in the reflection of the window from my seat, so every time he took a big bite, I would go 'I thought that pitch was a little outside Joe, what do you think? ' and he would start spitting out the dog trying to get his set back on. Then I'd say, 'Nevermind,' and he never caught on.' While rich with the laughs one might expect — at one point Thorn forced the two to play 'The Match Game' to hilarious results — Thursday's tribute also included more than a few profound observations from two friends who have shared more than 40 years side by side. Sitting in a wheelchair, Krukow was blunt about living with inclusion body myositis, a progressive inflammatory muscle disease that causes muscle weakness. The 73-year-old said 'it sucks' to no longer be able to take part in activities he used to enjoy while also sharing a touching anecdote about all the highs his life has brought him. 'You can't write your own story on the way out,' Krukow went on. 'You don't know what's going to happen and it isn't always fair, but when I lay down at night and close my eyes, it's September 1985 and I'm walking into Shea Stadium to face the New York Mets. I never get past the third inning, but I have that experience, and it's a gift.' Kuiper, 74, similarly pointed to baseball and his friendship with Krukow as anchors that helped him to survive his grief since the unexpected death of his wife Michelle in 2022. 'I'd been going to spring training for 48 years — always Arizona — so I needed to get to spring training. Everybody grieves differently,' he said. 'When I got there, I knew I was going to be OK because I was going to be able to do games with this guy and watch the team I love, and I know that's what she would want.' Aware of the evening's rarity, fans from near and far flocked to fill the space, donning Giants gear and gamely singing along during a show-closing rendition of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' lead by Krukow. 'As broadcasters, we get to do something that the players never get to do,' Krukow told the audience. 'We're in your living room every night having dinner with you during the season. You know us. We're part of your family. That has been the greatest gift that you could ever give anyone.'