John Kruk

Lore & Background

Kruk was raised in Keyser, West Virginia. He is of Polish descent and has three siblings. He played baseball at Keyser High School, at Potomac State College, and at Allegany Community College. Kruk was the first Major Leaguer to come out of Allegany. He was signed as the third overall selection in the Special Draft on June 13, 1981. He began his professional career with the San Diego Padres. In 1987, he hit .313 with 20 home runs and 91 RBI, and stole 18 bases. On April 13, 1987, Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn, and Kruk became the first players in major league history to open their half of the 1st inning with three consecutive solo home runs. In October 1987, Kruk unknowingly lived with two men who were armed robbers; the FBI informed him in February 1988. On June 2, 1989, the Padres traded Kruk and Randy Ready to the Philadelphia Phillies for Chris James. Kruk played in the All-Star Game in 1991, 1992, and 1993. In the 1993 All-Star Game, he had a memorable at-bat against Randy Johnson. Kruk was a member of the Phillies' 'Macho Row' that led the team to the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. During spring training, Kruk was diagnosed with testicular cancer after an errant pickoff throw from teammate Mitch Williams hit him in the groin. After the season, Kruk was granted free agency. He signed with the Chicago White Sox on May 12, batting .308/.399/.390 in his only season with the ballclub. He retired on July 30 due to chronic knee soreness. Kruk finished his 10-year career with a .300 batting average, 100 home runs and 592 runs batted in.

In Their Own Story

The humidity hangs heavy over Veterans Stadium on a humid July night in 1989. The crowd is buzzing, sensing something special about this young first baseman who just stepped into the batter's box wearing his oversized jersey. As the pitcher winds up, Kruk doesn't flinch; he smiles, adjusts his cap, and connects with a roar that echoes off the concrete walls. It wasn't just a home run; it was a declaration of identity for a city hungry for hope.

Reader's Guide

Kruk wrote a book called 'I Ain't an Athlete, Lady' published in 1994. He turned to broadcasting and has worked for Major League Baseball on Fox, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and local telecasts in Philadelphia. He has been a resident of Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey. Kruk coached the Reading Phillies of the Class AA Eastern League during the 2001 season. He had acting roles in film and television, including 'The Fan', 'The Sandlot: Heading Home', and 'American Pastime'. He guest-starred on 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force'. He appeared in the Sawyer Brown music video 'Round Here'. ESPN hired Kruk as an analyst on Baseball Tonight. He wrote a column called 'Chewing the Fat' on ESPN.com. He coached the National League team in the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game on July 12, 2010. He appeared in MLB on ESPN commercials. He was a commentator on the video games MLB 2K10, MLB 2K11, MLB 2K12 and MLB 2K13. In 2012, ESPN hired Kruk to be the color commentator for Sunday Night Baseball alongside Dan Shulman. In 2015, Kruk asked the Davisson Brothers Band to record a track for ESPN bumpers. Following the 2016 baseball season, Kruk and ESPN mutually agreed to part ways. In February 2017, Comcast SportsNet hired Kruk to join the Philadelphia Phillies broadcast team. Kruk took over the Seacrest Country Day School softball team as head coach in 2016 and was named the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Class 2A Coach of the Year for the district in his first year.

Did You Know?

• Kruk was the first Major Leaguer to come out of Allegany Community College.
• In 1987, Kruk was part of the first trio in MLB history to hit three consecutive solo home runs to open the first inning.
• Kruk unknowingly lived with an armed robber in 1987 and was informed by the FBI in 1988.
• Kruk was diagnosed with testicular cancer after a pickoff throw from Mitch Williams broke his protective cup.
• Kruk retired mid-game on July 30 after singling and being stranded on third base.