ARMY VET AND FORMER MLB PLAYER TURNED BROADCASTER BOB UECKER DIES AT 90
After a long and quiet fight with cancer, Bob Uecker, the former backup catcher who went on to become a Hollywood star, passed away early Thursday. After his run as a player, he became the iconic radio voice of his hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers, for over 50 years. He was ninety years old.
Uecker was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Belvoir during his Army service before he became well-known on television and the screen. Prior to his departure from the military, he was promoted to corporal. He played baseball with Dick Groat, a two-time World Series champion, future MLB great, and professional colleague when he was in the Army. Veterans like Uecker, who served our nation, should be honored, remembered, and appreciated.
Bob Uecker’s Early Life and Career Beginnings
Uecker’s father, August, was a Swiss immigrant who worked as a tool-and-die manufacturer and mechanic. His brother, Bernard, was a professional baseball player with the Tigers organization. His mother, Mary Schultz, was born in Michigan.
After relocating to Milwaukee's near north side, August and Mary had three kids who were raised surrounded by baseball. Uecker could walk to Borchert Field, the home of the original Milwaukee Brewers, from St. Boniface grade school.
At the age of 15, Uecker drove a truck for an uncle in Eagle River, Wisconsin, cut Christmas trees, and worked odd jobs with his dad. He was never very good in school. Baseball became his calling. Although he was a successful pitcher in Milwaukee's juvenile leagues, he finally made a name for himself behind the plate and signed with the Braves in 1956.
In the Minor Leagues, Uecker was a decent power hitter, and he even hit 22 home runs in 1958, despite his retiring reputation. Uecker played two seasons with the Braves, primarily as a backup, before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for a couple of minor league players.
Fortunately, however, Uecker was part of the team that defeated the stacked New York Yankees, led by Yogi Berra. At the time, the Yankees also had Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, and they won the 1964 World Series. Keep in mind that Dick Groat was also a member of the Cardinals in 1964.
Broadcasting Career and Pop Culture Impact
Uecker departed from Major League Baseball in 1967 after a brief stint with the Phillies and rejoined the Braves, in which he showed his charisma and wit as a broadcaster. Because of his popularity, he became the play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971.
Uecker created the iconic slogan for a Brewers home run and spent 54 years with his home team, the second-longest tenure for a single franchise in MLB history.
During his lifetime, he also became the host of his own shows, such as War of the Stars and Wacky World of Sports. At Wrestlemania III, he announced the WWF (pre-WWE name change) and did commercials for Miller Lite beer. He also hosted Saturday Night Live in 1984, which is a big thing in one’s Hollywood career.
Uecker's Legacy in Comedy and Film
When Bob Uecker became a part of the 1989 movie "Major League" and the sitcom "Mr. Belvedere," people loved him even more. His iconic presentation of his characters in these two shows gave him more recognition as a comedic actor. Add it to his fifty years in baseball press boxes, and you have someone who is beloved by the public.
Uecker also portrayed sportswriter George Owens in six seasons of the ABC sitcom from 1985 to 1990. The show is about a five-member suburban Pittsburgh family and their British butler, who attempt to understand the typical life of an American in a funny way.
After that, Uecker starred as Cleveland broadcaster Harry Doyle in all three of the "Major League" movies. His witty remark regarding a scene that happened in the movie is still remembered by baseball fans even to this day because it was that funny.
During his time, regular entertainers had to work all year round since their pay was not enough due to their living expenses. This hardship was the main reason why Uecker tried auditioning for movies because he also had to provide for himself.
Homage to Uecker’s Lasting Legacy
Bob Uecker became a legend to generations of fans in his hometown of Milwaukee thanks to the longevity and enthusiasm that he showed while he worked. These qualities earned him a sportscasting legacy alongside icons in the game like Vin Scully. At its American Family Field, the team built two statues in his honor. The first is a classic bronze statue outside the ballpark, one of four that memorialize significant personalities in Milwaukee baseball history.
The other three include former Brewers owner and MLB commissioner Bud Selig, as well as Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Robin Yount. However, the second statue, which is found indoors in the hinterlands of the uppermost deck, best embodies his personality. Although it's reserved this time, Uecker ironically has the worst seat in the house once more.
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