Former manager Craig to attend 1989 reunion
Roger Craig will always be the Humm Baby in both halves of California.
Forty years after he last managed the Padres and 27 years since his Giants farewell, Craig was in a supermarket with his daughter Sherri when a fan asked for an autograph. Roger told Sherri he still can’t go anywhere without being recognized.
Sherri told him, “Maybe, dad, you shouldn’t wear a 10gallon hat, boots and a leather belt with silver letters that say ‘ROGER.’ ”
Sherri laughed as she related the story. This weekend, her dad will get all the love as he can handle.
Although 89 years of life have taken a natural toll on mind and body, Roger Craig and his wife, Carolyn, accompanied by granddaughter Michelle, will trek north to attend Sunday’s pregame 30year reunion of the 1989 World Series team.
What would that reunion be without the manager who helped turn a 100game loser into a division winner in his second full season as Giants manager, in 1987, then a pennant winner two years later?
“I think he’ll be overwhelmed,” Sherri Craig said. “I hope he doesn’t cry. He’ll be into it because he loves the fans and adulation. When we came for the 2014 World Series, he couldn’t believe the fans. Everywhere we went fans were stopping him and saying, ‘Hey, Humm Baby,’ 22 years since they’d seen him.
And which of his former players is he excited about seeing?
“He loves (Mike) Krukow” she said. “He can’t wait to see Krukow.”
The Craigs long ago sold their Humm Baby ranch in the San Diego area. Now they are moving from their desert home to a golfcourse subdivision in north San Diego County to be closer to their three daughters, Sherri, Teresa and Vikki. (Son Roger Jr. lives in Arizona.)
Roger does not swing a golf club much anymore, nor ride horses, but still loves watching baseball on TV and reminiscing, as he did at a recent lunch with his former pitching coach, Norm Sherry.
“They just sat down together and it was like we weren’t even there,” Sherri said. “We had a big long table, spread out. It was the first time I’ve ever been in a restaurant and everybody at the other tables is looking at you like, ‘Would you guys leave?’ because everybody was laughing so hard.” Briefly: The Giants placed second baseman Joe Panik on unconditional release waivers a day after designating him for assignment. If claimed, the new team would be responsible for the roughly $1.2 million left on his salary . ... Outfield prospect Heliot Ramos is day to day after being hit on the hand by a pitch while playing for Class A San Jose on Monday night. Xrays were negative.