Longtime San Francisco Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper announced Sunday, Sept. 20 that he was diagnosed with throat cancer.
Kuiper has been the voice of the Giants, calling their games for the past 37 seasons alongside longtime broadcast partner Mike Krukow, who announced his retirement at the end of the season. Kuiper told the team in a statement that he began treatment with doctors at Stanford Medicine last week and will miss some games as the season comes to a close.
The Giants will be without Kuiper during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday's game against the Minnesota Twins, as well as Wednesday's game, also against the Twins. His brief absence will be felt, but Kuiper ensured fans that he would be back soon.
“This cancer
is unrelated to the one I experienced five years ago, and I’m optimistic that it will be successfully treated," Kuiper said in a statement. "I’ll miss the broadcasts tomorrow and Wednesday as I continue treatment, but I’m looking forward to returning Tuesday and this weekend to celebrate my partner, Mike Krukow, and his remarkable career as he calls his final game before retirement."
Kuiper reassured that his throat cancer is not linked to his scare in 2021. Kuiper stepped away from the broadcast booth in June 2021 to begin chemotherapy treatments for an undisclosed condition. He made his return to the booth later that year and resumed regularly calling games for the Giants in the 2022 season.
Kuiper, a former Giants player, first began broadcasting Giants games in the twilight of his playing career. Once he hung up the glove in 1986, he worked within San Francisco’s organization through 1992.
He spent a season calling games for the Colorado Rockies in 1993 but came back home to the Bay Area where has called games ever since. Kuiper would go on to become one of the most celebrated voices in baseball.
"I’m incredibly grateful for the care I’m receiving and for the tremendous support from my family, the Giants organization, my broadcast partners and so many others."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper diagnosed with throat cancer
