John Kruk Jokes About Being Tipsy During His Memorable At Bat Against Randy Johnson

John Kruk, the Philadelphia Phillies announcer, humorously hinted on Thursday that he may have had a few drinks before his famously awkward at bat against Randy Johnson during the 1993 MLB All-Star Game. The iconic matchup took place at Camden Yards in Baltimore, where Kruk faced the imposing left-handed pitcher for the first time in his career.

In that at bat, Johnson’s first pitch soared over Kruk's head, prompting the batter to step out of the box, place a hand on his chest, and exhale dramatically. Kruk then took a fastball for a strike on the second pitch and followed it by swinging at two sliders outside the strike zone, each time with a lack of enthusiasm as he spun awkwardly.

During a recent broadcast of the Phillies-Mets game on NBC Sports Philadelphia, Kruk reminisced about the infamous moment while chatting with Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and George Brett. Brett brought up the at bat, to which Kruk quipped, “I could’ve been a little tipsy that day.”

Schmidt responded, “You could’ve called in sick,” to which Kruk humorously replied, “I thought I was gonna call in dead,” alluding to a night of revelry leading up to the game. Given Johnson’s towering height of 6'10" and his ability to throw fastballs exceeding 100 miles per hour, it was no surprise that he posed a significant challenge for left-handed hitters.

This playful exchange serves as a reminder of Kruk’s enduring personality and the legendary stature of Johnson in baseball history.