Bob Uecker, the voice of his hometown Milwaukee Brewers who after a brief taking part in profession earned the moniker “Mr. Baseball” and honours from the Corridor of Fame, has died. He was 90.
The group introduced Uecker died Thursday morning, calling it “one of the crucial tough days in Milwaukee Brewers historical past.” In a press release launched by the membership, Uecker’s household stated he had battled small cell lung most cancers since early 2023.
“Even within the face of this problem, his enthusiasm for all times was at all times current, by no means permitting his spirit to falter,” the household stated.
Uecker was greatest generally known as a vibrant comic and broadcaster who earned his nickname throughout one in all his quite a few appearances on Johnny Carson’s late night time present.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker signed his first skilled contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and reached the majors in 1962. He’d final six seasons within the large leagues as a backup catcher, ending with a .200 common and 14 homers.
He received a World Sequence ring with St. Louis in 1964 and in addition performed for Atlanta and Philadelphia.
“Profession highlights? I had two,” he usually joked. “I obtained an intentional stroll from Sandy Koufax and I obtained out of a rundown towards the Mets.”
Uecker additionally befriended former Brewers proprietor and MLB commissioner Bud Selig, who initially employed him as a scout. Selig favored to joke about how Uecker’s preliminary scouting report was stained with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Selig ultimately introduced Uecker to the printed sales space. Uecker turned the voice of the Brewers in 1971, within the second yr after the group moved from Seattle.
Uecker remained with the membership from that time on and have become one of many Brewers’ most indelible figures. Brewers supervisor Craig Counsell grew up within the Milwaukee space and remembered spending summer time days throwing a baseball towards the roof and catching it whereas listening to Uecker’s broadcasts.
“There’s no single particular person on this franchise’s historical past who has been as iconic and as necessary as Bob Uecker,” stated Jeff Levering, a member of the Brewers’ broadcast group since 2015.
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At the same time as his movie star standing grew nationwide, Uecker savoured the chance to proceed calling video games to followers in his hometown.
“To have the ability to do a recreation every day all through the summer time and speak to individuals day by day at 6:30 for an evening recreation, you grow to be a part of individuals’s households,” Uecker as soon as stated. “I do know that as a result of I get mail from people who inform me that. That’s a part of the reward for being right here, simply to be acknowledged by the best way you speak, the best way you describe a recreation, no matter.”
Uecker was honoured by the Corridor of Fame with the Ford C. Frick award in 2003 and spent practically 20 minutes protecting the Cooperstown, New York, crowd of about 18,000 in stitches.
“I nonetheless — and this isn’t bitter grapes by any means — nonetheless assume I ought to have gone in as a participant,” he quipped.
“Ueck” obtained his large break off the sector after opening for Don Rickles at Al Hirt’s nightclub in Atlanta in 1969. That efficiency caught Hirt’s consideration, and the musician set him as much as seem on The Tonight Present with Johnny Carson. He turned one in all Carson’s favorite visitors, making greater than 100 appearances.
Carson was the one who dubbed Uecker “Mr. Baseball.” And the title caught.
[NOTE: The video below contains foul language. Watch at your own discretion.]
However Uecker’s comedy was simply part of his skills. His heat storytelling and supply made Uecker a pure to grow to be one of many first color commentators on community TV broadcasts within the Seventies with ABC. Within the ’90s, he teamed up with Bob Costas and Joe Morgan for the World Sequence.
From there, Uecker reached most households as one of many Miller Lite All-Stars in common commercials for the beer model based mostly out of Milwaukee and Uecker later launched his TV performing profession in 1985 on the ABC sitcom, Mr. Belvedere.
Uecker performed George Owens in the course of the profitable 122-episode run of the collection that lasted six years, as the pinnacle of the household and sports activities author in a house that brings in a butler who struggles to adapt to an American family.
In a little bit of casting that saved issues fairly near house, Uecker additionally performed a outstanding function within the films Main League (1989) and Main League II (1994) as crass announcer Harry Doyle for a down-and-out Cleveland Indians franchise that finds a method to grow to be playoff contenders.
“I’m a part of American folklore, I suppose,” Uecker informed The Related Press in 2003. “However I’m not a Hollywood man. Baseball and broadcasting are in my blood.”
His wry description of a badly wayward pitch — “Juuuust a bit outdoors!” — within the film remains to be often-repeated by announcers and followers at ballparks throughout.
Uecker’s performing left some to imagine he was extra about being humorous than a severe baseball announcer, however his tenure and observations with the Brewers have been spot on, particularly when video games have been tight. Equally pleasurable have been video games that weren’t, when Uecker would inform tales about different main leaguers, his personal profession and his hobbies as an avid fisherman and golfer.
“I don’t assume anybody desires to listen to anyone screwing round while you obtained an excellent recreation going,” Uecker stated. “I feel individuals see Main League and so they assume Harry Doyle and determine that’s what Bob Uecker does. I try this typically, I do. However after we’ve obtained an excellent recreation going, I don’t fiddle.”
In his later years, he took a severe method to his well being, swimming day by day main as much as coronary heart surgical procedure in April 2010. Very quickly after the procedures, docs stated Uecker returned to strolling a number of miles and was forward in restoration.
Uecker pushed to return to the sales space and started calling video games once more in July, saying he bribed the docs by permitting them to throw out the primary pitch.
“You discuss all of the issues Bob has completed, he by no means wished to depart Milwaukee,” Selig stated. “Above all, he made himself into a terrific play-by-play announcer. That’s what he did. He’s all the pieces to this franchise and loves each minute of it.”
Uecker’s personal profession supplied him most of his materials. His former teammates stated Uecker would do impressions of different broadcasters on the bus, however Uecker turned the highlight on himself after his taking part in profession was over.
“I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for $3,000. That bothered my dad on the time as a result of he didn’t have that type of dough,” he stated “However he ultimately scraped it up.”
One other basic: “After I got here as much as bat with three males on and two outs within the ninth, I appeared within the different group’s dugout and so they have been already in road garments.”
Uecker additionally presided over the stirring ceremony that closed Milwaukee County Stadium in 2000. When the Brewers’ new stadium opened as Miller Park in 2001, the group started promoting “Uecker Seats” excessive within the higher deck and obstructed for a $1.
The stadium, now generally known as American Household Area, has two statues in Uecker’s honour. There’s a statue outdoors the stadium and one other one behind Part 422, a nod to the Miller Lite business during which he famously stated “I should be within the entrance row!” whereas getting taken to one of many worst seats within the ballpark.
