John Burkett, '83

John pitched every other game for the Bobcats in 1983, winning the Class AAA WPIAL title under Coach Ed Snitger. That year, the San Francisco Giants drafted John in the 6th round of the amateur draft. Over the next few years, John played for rookie Great Falls, Clinton (A), Fresno (A), and Shreveport (AA).

John's Major League debut was in September 1987, after which he returned to the minors for 2 years, at Phoenix (AAA) and Shreveport (AA).  John returned to the Majors in 1990, and over his Major League career compiled a 166-136 record across 445 regular season games, with the San Francisco Giants (1987, 1990-1994), Florida Marlins (1995, 1996), Texas Rangers (1996-1999), Atlanta Braves (2000-2001), and Boston Red Sox (2002-2003). John pitched in 6 postseason games, earning a 2-1 record, and making the National League Championship Series in 2001 and the American League Championship Series in 2003.

John's accolades include All-Star selections in 1993 and 2001, finishing 4th in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year in 1990, and finishing 4th in voting for the National League Cy Young Award in 1993 - the year in which John led the Majors with 22 wins, tying with Tom Glavine and Jack McDowell. Moreover, John was named to the inaugural class of the San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame in 2008, the 50th Anniversary of the Giants' first season in San Francisco.

John was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.  He was honored with the Beaver Area HS #1 Jersey in 2004.

Few athletes have the skill to excel professionally in two sports. Not only was John a Major League pitcher, but, following baseball retirement, and after John turned 50, he decided to live out his second dream and pursue the Senior Professional Bowlers Tour. Throwing strikes has continued to be his specialty, compiling nearly 100 perfect games and, in 2022, winning the PBA50 South Shore Open in Hammond, Indiana, becoming the first crossover athlete to win a National PBA Title.

John resides in Fort Worth, TX, with his wife Laura and their children: Avery, Maxwell and Reid.