John Kruk is many things. A decent hitter, a substandard baseball analyst, missing a testicle. One thing he is not is the reason that #44 is retired by the San Diego Padres.
John Kruk was talking last week on ESPN about how he wore No. 44 for only one year as a Padre before the club retired the number in honor of Willie McCovey's Hall of Fame induction.
“I was the last person to wear No. 44 for the San Diego Padres,” Kruk said. “Now it's retired. I like to tell people it's me.”
Another thing he's not? Telling the truth. The last guy to wear #44 for the Padres is the guy who is currently wearing #44 for the Padres, their ace pitcher Jake Peavy. Nor is Peavy taking the jeresey out of mothballs.
That's a nice story, but anyone want to ask Frank Seminara, Sonny Siebert (as a coach), Carlos Reyes and Tom Davey about it? All wore No. 44 after Kruk and before the current “occupant.”
Kruk was also the last governor of Arkansas to be elected President, the last man to circumnavigate the world in a paddleboat, the last man to kiss Tim Hardaway with tongue and the last man to hit on 18 and have it work out for everyone when the dealer busted with a 22.
Haha, nice find. I liked kruk as a player but as an analyst, he's nothing short of brutal.
Posted by: CDE | March 12, 2007 at 01:45 AM
Kruker! He reminds me of John Daly playing baseball. Loved him when he was with the Phils, going to the world series. Doesn't really make the best analyst as you pointed out above. But hey, someone has to make Peter Gammons look smart!
Posted by: Miami Yacht Charters | March 12, 2007 at 10:18 AM