Giants surprised Duane Kuiper with cake to celebrate his 75th birthday

After the San Francisco Giants were retired in the bottom of the second inning in Thursday afternoon’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, Giants play-by-play man Duane Kuiper assumed the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast was going to commercial. He was wrong.

Thursday was also Kuiper’s 75th birthday. To celebrate the day, the Giants surprised their longtime announcer.

Kuiper’s son, Cole Kuiper, walked into the home TV booth with a birthday cake for his dad. Walking behind him was the Giants president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, as well as radio announcers Jon Miller and Dave Flemming.

We can safely say that a lot of thought and effort. The main decoration was an orange Giants jersey with black lettering and piping and Kuiper’s name and No. 18 from his playing days on it. Also on the cake were a microphone and old cards from Kuiper’s playing days.

The Giants surprised announcer Duane Kuiper, celebrating his 75th birthday.

Kuiper’s son, Cole, Giants President Buster Posey and fellow announcers Mike Krukow, Jon Miller and Dave Flemming presented a cake, decorated with Kuiper’s uniform and cards from his playing days. pic.twitter.com/xZJdXn0rau

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 19, 2025

As Kuiper said, “You only celebrate 75 once.”

Before becoming a broadcaster, Kuiper played from 1974-1985. He came up with Cleveland (then known as the Indians) and remained there through the 1981 season. Before the 1982 season began, he was traded to the Giants, where he played for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1985 and becoming an announcer. So, it was really a perfect day, and opponent, for Kuiper’s celebration.