Bob Uecker

2.1. Early life and education

Uecker was born on January 26, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he also grew up. He was the son of Mary (née Schultz), a native of Michigan, and August "Gus" Uecker, who had emigrated from Switzerland in 1923. Bob had two younger sisters, Carol Ann and Rosemary. During his formative years, Uecker developed an early passion for baseball, frequently attending games of the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association at Borchert Field.

2.2. Military service

In 1954, Uecker enlisted in the United States Army, where he served and ultimately achieved the rank of corporal. During his military service, he continued to pursue his love for baseball, playing on Army teams at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Notably, during his time at Fort Belvoir, he was teammates with Dick Groat, who would later become a fellow major leaguer.

3.1. Minor League

After completing his service in the United States Army, Uecker signed his first professional contract with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956. He spent several years developing his skills in Minor League Baseball within the Braves organization. In his inaugural professional season, he played for two different affiliate clubs: the Eau Claire Bears in the Northern League and the Boise Braves in the Pioneer League. Across his appearances for both teams that year, Uecker demonstrated some power, hitting a combined 19 home runs.

3.2. Major League Activities

Uecker made his major league debut with the Milwaukee Braves on April 13, 1962. During his time with the Braves, he served as the team's third-string catcher, behind established players Joe Torre and Del Crandall. In his debut season, he played in 33 games. He appeared in only nine games for the Braves in 1963 before being demoted back to the minor leagues.

Before the start of the 1964 season, the Braves traded Uecker to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for minor leaguers Jimmie Coker and Gary Kolb. Although he played sparingly for the Cardinals, Uecker was a member of the team that won the 1964 World Series. Following the 1965 season, the Cardinals traded Uecker, along with Dick Groat and Bill White, to the Philadelphia Phillies. In return, the Cardinals received Pat Corrales, Alex Johnson, and Art Mahaffey. On June 6, 1967, the Phillies traded Uecker back to the Braves, who had by then relocated and become the Atlanta Braves. He was traded for Gene Oliver. Uecker's six-year major league career concluded at the end of the 1967 season.

During his major league career, Uecker wore several uniform numbers: he wore number 8 from 1962 to 1963, then number 9 from 1964 until partway through the 1967 season, and finally number 12 for the remainder of 1967.

3.3. Career Stats and Evaluation

As a hitter, Bob Uecker was generally considered below-average. He concluded his major league career with an overall batting average of .200, a figure that is retroactively associated with the Mendoza Line, although he did finish four of his six seasons with an average above .200. Despite his offensive limitations, Uecker was widely regarded as a sound defensive player behind the plate. He committed very few errors as a catcher, finishing his career with a fielding percentage of .981. However, in 1967, despite playing in only 59 games, he led the league in passed balls. This was partially attributed to the fact that he spent a significant portion of that season catching for Phil Niekro, a pitcher known for throwing a difficult-to-handle knuckleball. Uecker famously joked about the challenge of catching a knuckleball, quipping that "the best way to catch a knuckleball was to wait until it stopped rolling and pick it up."

His career statistics are detailed in the table below:

• MLN (Milwaukee Braves) changed its team name to ATL (Atlanta Braves) in 1966.

4.1. Milwaukee Brewers Broadcasting

After retiring as a player, Uecker embarked on a broadcasting career, initially with WSB-TV in Atlanta. In 1971, he began calling play-by-play for the Milwaukee Brewers' radio broadcasts, a role he would hold for an remarkable 54 seasons. This tenure made him the second-longest continuous announcer with a single team among active Major League Baseball announcers at the time of his death, surpassed only by Kansas City Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews.

During the baseball off-season in the early 1970s, Uecker also served as a radio color commentator for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball and football games, which were carried by WTMJ (620) and WTMJ-FM (1130) in Milwaukee. Throughout his long tenure with the Brewers, Uecker became a mentor to several aspiring sportscasters, including Pat Hughes, Jim Powell, Cory Provus, and Joe Block, all of whom went on to become primary radio announcers for other MLB teams. Uecker also locally called the 1982 World Series for the Brewers on WISN (1130) in Milwaukee.

For many years, Uecker did not have an official written contract with the Brewers, instead relying on undisclosed handshake agreements with team owners Bud Selig or Mark Attanasio. However, prior to the 2021 season, he signed a formal contract to ensure coverage under the Brewers' health insurance plan, following cuts to his SAG-AFTRA benefits from his acting work. From the 2022 season through the 2024 season, Uecker teamed with Jeff Levering and Lane Grindle to broadcast Brewers home games and road games in Chicago on WTMJ in Milwaukee and across the Milwaukee Brewers Radio Network throughout Wisconsin. His final broadcast was Game 3 of the 2024 National League Wild Card Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Mets on October 3, 2024.

4.2. Network and Other Broadcasting

Uecker's broadcasting reach extended beyond local Brewers games to national television. For several years, he served as a color commentator for network television broadcasts of Major League Baseball. In the 1970s and early 1980s, he contributed to ABC's coverage, and in the 1990s, he teamed with Bob Costas and Joe Morgan for NBC broadcasts. During this period, he provided commentary for several All-Star Games, League Championship Series, and World Series.

His notable assignments for NBC included the 1994 and 1996 All-Star Games, the 1995 and 1996 American League Championship Series, the 1997 National League Championship Series, and the 1995 and 1997 World Series. Uecker left NBC before the 1998 All-Star Game, which was to be held at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, due to a back operation where four discs were replaced. For the remainder of NBC's contract (1998-2000), only Bob Costas and Joe Morgan called the games.

Beyond baseball, Uecker's sports expertise led him to host two syndicated television shows: Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker's War of the Stars. Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports later became known as The Lighter Side of Sports (with a different host, Mike Golic) and remains one of the longest-running syndicated sports programs in American television history.

4.3. Broadcasting Style and Catchphrases

Bob Uecker was celebrated for his unique broadcasting style, characterized by his signature self-deprecating humor and memorable catchphrases. He was well known for his enthusiastic call when a Brewers player hit a home run: "Get up! Get up! Get outta here! Gone!" This phrase became so iconic that at the Brewers' home stadium, American Family Field, the words light up behind the left field stand whenever a Brewers player hits a home run. The Japanese translation of this phrase is 打球が伸びる、伸びる、行ったー!_{Dakyū ga nobīru, nobīru, ittā!}^Japanese.

In 2014, Uecker began to reduce his workload, limiting the number of road games he would call and the amount of travel he undertook, primarily due to previous health issues.

5.1. Film and TV Appearances

Uecker had a notable acting career, with significant roles in both television and film. He portrayed the character of George Owens, a father and sportscriter, on the 1985-1990 sitcom Mr. Belvedere, appearing regularly throughout its run.

Perhaps his most widely recognized acting role was as Harry Doyle, the often-intoxicated and comically cynical broadcaster for the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians), in the Major League film trilogy. This included Major League (1989), Major League II (1994), and Major League: Back to the Minors (1998). In these films, Uecker's character was known for his witty remarks and his tendency to become inebriated during losing games, often downplaying the team's poor performance for the radio audience. A famous line from the first film, "Juuust a bit outside," was coined by Doyle to humorously describe an extremely wild pitch from Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (played by Charlie Sheen). Uecker secured this role not because of his broadcasting history with the Brewers, but due to his popularity from his Miller Lite commercials.

He also made cameo appearances as himself in the films O.C. and Stiggs and Fatal Instinct, and in episodes of the sitcoms Who's the Boss?, D.C. Follies, and LateLine. Uecker lent his voice to the "head of Bob Uecker" in the Futurama episode "A Leela of Her Own". In 2021, he made a guest appearance in the Disney+ series Monsters at Work, voicing a parody of himself named "Bob Yucker."

5.2. Comedy and Humor Activities

Uecker was widely known for his humor, particularly his self-deprecating jokes about his own undistinguished playing career. He became much more famous after he retired from playing baseball. Many of his wisecracks poked fun at himself, such as his joke about hitting a grand slam off pitcher Ron Herbel on June 21, 1967: "When his manager came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase." On another occasion, he quipped, "Sporting goods companies would pay me not to endorse their products."

He made approximately 100 guest appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, where his comedic timing and persona endeared him to a national audience. Uecker also hosted Saturday Night Live during its 10th season on October 13, 1984, an episode that also featured musical performances by Peter Wolf.

Uecker gained significant national recognition for his appearances in a series of Miller Lite commercials, which began in the 1980s. In one memorable commercial from that decade, Uecker is seen preparing to watch a baseball game when an usher informs him he is in the wrong seat. Uecker pompously replies, "I must be in the front row," a line that became another of his popular catchphrases. The punch line revealed that Uecker's seat was actually in the nosebleed section, the farthest seats from the action. Since then, the most distant seats in some arenas and stadiums have been jokingly referred to as "Uecker seats." At American Family Field, the home stadium of the Milwaukee Brewers, there is indeed a section of $1 seating called the "Uecker seats." These seats offer an obstructed view, located in the upper grandstand above home plate where the stadium's roof pivot comes together, referencing Uecker's position in the Miller Lite commercial. Another of Uecker's catchphrases from this commercial is, "He missed the tag!", which he confidently shouts from his high vantage point.

Locally in Milwaukee, Uecker lent his endorsement skills to various companies and products. These included the Milwaukee Admirals (an American Hockey League team), Rank & Son Buick, Usinger's Sausage, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism for its "You're Among Friends" campaign, and several road and bicycle safety campaigns for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. In February 2006, the Milwaukee Admirals commemorated Uecker's commercials with a special event where players wore plaid jerseys reminiscent of Uecker's loud sports coats from the 1970s and 1980s. These jerseys were then auctioned off for charity. For his contributions to advertising, Uecker was inducted into the Wisconsin Advertising Hall of Fame in 2017 by the United Adworkers Milwaukee, Local 99.

5.3. Wrestling Announcer

In addition to his baseball and acting endeavors, Uecker made notable appearances in professional wrestling. In March 1987, he appeared at World Wrestling Federation's (WWF, now WWE) WrestleMania III in Pontiac, Michigan. He served as the ring announcer for the pay-per-view's main event, a highly anticipated match between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. Uecker returned to the WWF in 1988 for WrestleMania IV, where he served as a ringside announcer, provided commentary during the opening Battle Royal, and conducted backstage interviews.

6.1. Family Relationships

Uecker was married twice. His first wife was Joyce, who passed away in 2015. Together, they had four children: Leeann (1957-2022), who died of ALS in March 2022; Steve (1959-2012), a cowboy, who died from complications of San Joaquin Valley fever; Sue Ann; and Bob Jr.

Uecker married his second wife, Judy, in Louisiana in 1976. The couple settled in Menomonee Falls, a suburb of Milwaukee.

7.1. Health Issues and Death

On April 27, 2010, Uecker announced that he would be taking a 10-12 week leave from the 2010 baseball season to undergo heart surgery. Four days later, his aortic valve and a portion of his aortic root were successfully replaced. He made a recovery and returned to broadcasting for the Brewers on July 23 of that year. However, on October 14, 2010, the Brewers announced that Uecker would need to undergo another heart surgery, this time to repair a tear at the site of his previous valve replacement.

In 2023, Uecker was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer. He died at his home in Menomonee Falls on January 16, 2025, just ten days before his 91st birthday.

8.1. Major Awards

Uecker was widely recognized for his broadcasting excellence. The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named him Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year five times: in 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1987. In 2011, he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

In 2001, Uecker was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. A significant honor came in 2003 when he received the Ford C. Frick Award, an annual award bestowed by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." His acceptance speech at the ceremony was particularly memorable for its characteristic humor and self-deprecation. In 2010, Uecker was inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame, an honor that recognized his appearances at WrestleMania III and WrestleMania IV. He was only the second person associated with Major League Baseball to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, following Pete Rose.

8.2. Honors and Memorials

The Milwaukee Brewers honored Bob Uecker extensively for his long-standing dedication to the team. In 2005, marking his 50th year in professional baseball, the Brewers placed the number 50 in his honor in their "Ring of Honor," located near the retired numbers of team legends Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Four years later, on May 12, 2009, Uecker's name was also added to the Brewers Wall of Honor, an installation inside American Family Field that recognizes significant figures in the team's history.

On August 31, 2012, the Brewers unveiled the Uecker Monument outside American Family Field. This statue stands alongside those of other prominent figures associated with the team, including Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, and Bud Selig.

On September 25, 2021, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers officially declared the day "Bob Uecker Day" in recognition of his 50th year broadcasting Brewers games. As part of the celebration, Uecker threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game against the New York Mets. In a characteristic display of his humor, instead of throwing the ball himself, he unveiled a pitching machine and used it for the pitch. Before the game, left fielder Christian Yelich presented Uecker with a gift on behalf of the players: a pair of custom Nike sneakers. These sneakers featured phrases iconic to Uecker, with "Air Uecker" and "Get Up, Get Up" on one foot, and "One Of Us" and "Just a Bit Outside" on the other.