A True National Treasure

Jan 30, 2023

“Baseball is the only game you can see on the radio.” ~ Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune Newspaper.

A happy belated 89^th birthday to Mister Baseball, the inimitable Bob Uecker. He was born Robert George Uecker on January 26, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was an MLB catcher, sportscaster, comedian and actor. He appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, (who gave him his “Mr. Baseball” nickname) over 100 times (CLICK HERE). Who can forget his role in Mr. Belvedere (1985-1990) as George Owens? Or playing Harry Doyle in the three “Major League” movies, with his famous, “Just a bit outside” (CLICK HERE) line? He did Miller Lite commercials, “I must be in the front row” (CLICK HERE). Or his home run call for Brewer players, “Get up! Get up! Get otta here! Gone!” (CLICK HERE)

(Bob Uecker. Found on the internet. Assuming Public Domain.)

Uecker made his MLB debut on April 13, 1962, for the Milwaukee Braves and his last MLB appearance was September 29, 1967, playing for the Atlanta Braves. He was a 6’1, 190lbs catcher who threw and batted right-handed. He had a career batting average of .200, hit 14 home runs and had 74 runs batted in. Bob played for the Milwaukee Braves (1962-1963), the St. Louis Cardinals (1964-1965), the Philadelphia Phillies (1966-1967) and the Atlanta Braves (1967).

Uecker was a World Series Champion as a backup catcher with the Cardinals in 1964. And has been honoured as a member of the American Family (Formerly Miller Field) Field Walk of Fame and the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor. Another honour that the Brewer’s organization has bestowed on Bob is the $1 seats in the upper grandstand above home plate are now called the “Uecker Seats”.

(Bob Uecker, 1964. Found on the internet. Assuming Public Domain.)

Uecker was a catcher on his high school team and enlisted in the United States Army where he also played on military teams. After his service in 1956, he played in the Milwaukee Braves farm system, finally making it to the majors in 1962. He was a below average hitter but was a fine defensive and hard-nosed player. He also earned a reputation as a character with a fine sense of humour. He once posed for his Topp’s Baseball Card batting lefty, even though he was a right-handed batter. He said nobody noticed. He shagged flyballs in the outfield while carrying a tuba around his neck. He held hands with Hank Aaron, his teammate during a team picture, they had to retake the picture after the team saw the proof. It was probably inevitable that he would become a broadcaster.

Uecker became the Milwaukee Brewers’s radio play-by-play man in 1971. He still holds that position 51 years later (as of the 2022 season). He worked up until prior to the 2021 season on a year-to year handshake agreement Brewers owners Bud Selig and later Mark Attanasio. In 2021 he finally signed a contract so he would be covered by the Brewer’s insurance after cuts occurred in his SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) benefits from his acting career. He also worked calling games on ABC in the 1970s and early ‘80s, and then on NBC in the 1990s working several League Championship Series and World Series telecasts.

He has been honoured as the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the year five times (1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987) by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. In 2001, Bob was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. And in 2003, Uecker received the Ford C. Frick Award, from the Baseball Hall of Fame as a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball”. His induction speech was probably the highlight of that year’s Hall ceremonies. CLICK HERE to hear his speech.

Since I am in such close proximity of Milwaukee, living just south of Chicago in Lockport, Illinois, I can pick up Brewer radio broadcasts and frequently listen. His phasing and quips are amazing, but two of my favourites happened on back-to-back Opening Days. (You can click on the hyperlink / YEAR to read the full posts) And wrote about them in other posts, here they are:

2021: “I caught the last couple innings on AM 620 WTMJ on my way home from training clients. The legendary Bob Uecker, entering his 51st year as broadcaster for his hometown team was in mid-season form. Bob is talking about how tailgating will be allowed in a few weeks in the parking lots prior to the home games and says if you don’t personally tailgate, just walk through the parking lot, grab a hotdog off someone’s grill and run. He said this in his usual deadpan voice. He is a true treasure! When the Brewers tied it in the bottom of the nineth his voice rose with emotion and excitement; even more so when they won in the home-half of the tenth. I could listen to Ueck for hours.”

2022: “First official game of the year, since the Red Sox / Yankees were postponed. Watched the game on MSN HD but listened to the game on AM 620 WTMJ. You NEVER pass up the opportunity to listen to 88-year-old Bob Uecker call a game. This is his 52nd year doing the radio broadcast for Milwaukee. Uecker talking about the lack of parking around Wrigley, “Not much tailing gating done here, unless you want to become a hood ornament on a car.” Ueck was the highlight for me. Cub’s shortstop Nico Hoerner hit the first home run of the season.”

I remember during Ken “The Hawk” Harrelson’s farewell season, he brought Uecker over into the White Sox television booth from the Brewer’s radio side and talked about baseball for an inning. Something Hawk mentioned will always stick out in my mind. He mentioned that Uecker had good hands (.981 career fielding percentage as a catcher) and Bob made some kind of comment about knuckleballs, but Hawk said that’s not what he meant. He then proceeded to say that Bob used his hands occasionally to defend his teammate Hank Aaron when Hank took racial abuse and knockdown pitches. Stand-up guy and teammate. Uecker let it go without comment. He also joked that a career highlight was hitting a home run off Dodger pitcher Sandy Koufax and he always had feared that it might keep Koufax out of the Hall of Fame. (Koufax was elected to the Hall in 1972).

Bob Uecker is known for his self-deprecating humour, what follows are some of his best quotes:

“I did stand-up, weird and ignorant stuff about me career – anything for a laugh.”

“I spent three of the best years of my life in 10^th grade.”

“The highlight of my baseball career came in Philadelphia’s Connie Mack Stadium when I saw a fan fall out of the upper deck When he got up and walked away, the crowd booed.”

“You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year. Unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time.”

“I remember one time I’m batting against the Dodger’s in Milwaukee. They lead, 2-1, it’s the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and the pitcher has a full count on me. I looked in the Dodger dugout and they’re all in street clothes.”

“I had slumps that lasted into the winter.”

“I set records that will never be equaled. In fact, I hope 90% of them don’t even get printed.”

“I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.”

“I led the league in go get ‘em next time.”

“They broke it to me gently. The manager came up to me before a game and told me they didn’t allow visitors in the clubhouse.”

“People don’t know this, but I helped the Cardinals win a pennant. I came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it.”

“I had a .200 lifetime batting average in the major leagues, which tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better for a ten-year period: Don Carter, one of our top bowlers.”

“I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel’s suitcase.”

“If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBIs. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.”

“I had been playing for a while, and I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame-threated bats. But when I got it, I realized they had sent me a box of ashes.”

“I had a great shoe contract and glove contract with a company who paid me a lot of money never to be seen using their stuff.”

“I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and $11, 000 of that came from selling other players’ equipment.”

“I signed a very modest $3,000 bonus with the Braves in Milwaukee. My old man didn’t have that kinda money to put out, but he eventually came up with it.”

“The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”

“Phil Niekro and his brother were pitching against each other in Atlanta. Their parents were sitting right behind home plate. I saw their folks more that day than they did the whole weekend.”

“The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud.”

“Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.”

“Baseball hasn’t forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers’ games, and I haven’t lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.”

“Not bragging by any means, but I could have done a lot if other stuff as far as working in films go and working in television. I had chances to do that stuff, but I like baseball, I really do.”

“Where would I be without baseball? Who am I without baseball?”

“On TV the people can see it. On radio, you’ve got to create it.”

“I hope the fans have enjoyed listening as much as I’ve enjoyed doing the games. I don’t ever go to the park where I don’t have a good day. I don’t like losing. But I don’t think I ever go to the park where I have a bad day. I don’t think once.”

He loves baseball and knows it has given him numerous opportunities in life. He also has given back so much. He is a wealth of information, insightful, funny and a true professional behind the mic. Speaking as just one fan, I do enjoy listening as much as he enjoys doing the games. I’m sure I am not the only one. There is just none better.

Let me know some of your favourite Bob Uecker lines or stories. I’m looking forward to listening to Bob again this season and hopefully many more to come.

~ Coach Mike

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