1995 Kodak White Sox Team Set #29 - John Kruk
How much did I love John Kruk when he was playing? He was the only player that I knew with a body type like mine and long hair like I had at the time. Plus, he hit the holy hell out of the ball.
He was someone I could look up to. I became a Kruk fan for life when I saw his appearances in the 1993 World Series. The way he played the game made me think that I could actually do that too. I never went through with anything, but I always felt that I could have because of him.
The moves that the White Sox made in 1995 almost had me hooked back in, but I couldn't let go of the strike. John Kruk had me at least watching some games again. The record turned me off very fast. All the moves were designed to bring the fans back, but mostly backfired.
John Kruk was a different story though. He hit .308 during his time with the White Sox. John grew tired of the game by July 1995. On July 30, 1995, in Baltimore, he singled and took himself out of the game. He left the ballpark, never to play again. He told the Chicago media that he wanted to spend the rest of the year eating at the Sizzler buffet.
John Kruk finished his career with an average of .300 with 100 home runs in 1,200 games. He left the game on his own terms. I can never fault him for that. It makes me an even bigger fan.
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