Bob Uecker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Uecker |
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Uecker in 1965
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: January 26, 1934 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Died: January 16, 2025 (aged 90) Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 13, 1962, for the Milwaukee Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1967, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .200 | ||
| Home runs | 14 | ||
| Runs batted in | 74 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As broadcaster
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Robert George Uecker (/ˈjuːkər/ YOO-kər; January 26, 1934 – January 16, 2025) was a famous American baseball player and sportscaster. He was best known as the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team for 54 seasons. Bob Uecker was also an actor in TV shows and movies.
Uecker joined his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956. He played several years in the minor leagues before reaching the major leagues in 1962. As a Catcher, he played for the Milwaukee Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves. His playing career lasted from 1962 to 1967. He even won a World Series with the Cardinals in 1964.
After he stopped playing, Uecker started a career in broadcasting. He became the main radio announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971. Uecker was famous for his funny jokes, especially about himself. He often appeared on late night talk shows and was called "Mr. Baseball" by talk show host Johnny Carson. He also hosted sports blooper shows and acted in TV shows like Mr. Belvedere. He played the funny announcer Harry Doyle in the movie Major League and its sequels.
The Baseball Hall of Fame honored Uecker in 2003. He received the Ford C. Frick Award for his amazing broadcasting career.
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Early Life and Army Service
Bob Uecker was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 26, 1934. His mother, Mary, was from Michigan, and his father, August, came from Switzerland. Bob had two younger sisters, Carol Ann and Rosemary. As a kid, he loved watching the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers play baseball.
In 1954, Uecker joined the U.S. Army and became a corporal. He continued to play baseball while in the Army. He played at military bases in Missouri and Virginia.
Playing Baseball in the Major Leagues
After his time in the Army, Uecker signed a professional contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956. He spent several years playing in the minor leagues. In his first season, he hit 19 Home runs for two different teams.
Uecker made his major league debut with the Braves on April 13, 1962. He was a backup catcher and played in 33 games that year. He played only nine games in 1963 before going back to the minor leagues. In 1964, the Braves traded Uecker to the St. Louis Cardinals. He didn't play much for the Cardinals, but he was part of the team that won the 1964 World Series.
After the 1965 season, Uecker was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1967, the Phillies traded him back to the Braves, who were now in Atlanta. His six-year major league career ended in 1967.
Uecker was not known for his hitting, with a career batting average of .200. However, he was considered a good defensive catcher and made very few errors. He often joked about his playing career, saying funny things like, "Sporting goods companies would pay me not to endorse their products."
Broadcasting Career Highlights
After retiring as a player, Uecker started his broadcasting career. In 1971, he began calling games for the Milwaukee Brewers on the radio. He was a Brewers broadcaster for 54 seasons, which is one of the longest times anyone has worked for a single team in baseball.
During the baseball off-season, Uecker also worked as a radio commentator for University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee basketball and football games. He helped many other sportscasters who later became main announcers for other MLB teams.
For many years, Uecker also worked as a commentator for national TV broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He called games for ABC in the 1970s and 1980s, and for NBC in the 1990s. This included calling several All-Star Games, League Championship Series, and World Series.
He was famous for his exciting home run call: "Get up! Get up! Get outta here! Gone!" when a Brewers player hit a home run. In his later years, Uecker reduced his travel for road games due to health reasons.
Bob Uecker's final broadcast was a Brewers playoff game on October 3, 2024.
Humor and Famous Catchphrases
Known for his great sense of humor, Uecker became even more famous after he stopped playing baseball. He often made fun of his own playing career. He once joked that after he hit a grand slam, the opposing manager came out to the pitcher with his suitcase, meaning the pitcher was getting taken out of the game.
He appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show about 100 times. He even hosted Saturday Night Live in 1984.
Uecker was also well-known for his Miller Lite beer commercials in the 1980s. In one famous commercial, an usher tells him he's in the wrong seat. Uecker proudly says, "I must be in the front row." The joke was that he was actually in the very back, highest seats in the stadium. Because of this, the seats farthest from the action in some stadiums are jokingly called "Uecker seats." At American Family Field, the Milwaukee Brewers' stadium, there's even a section of $1 seats called the "Uecker seats." These seats have a partly blocked view, just like in the commercial. Another famous line from those commercials is, "He missed the tag!" which he yells from his far-off seat.
Uecker also helped advertise many local companies and products in Milwaukee. He wrote two books: his autobiography, Catcher in the Wry, and Catch 222.
Acting Roles in TV and Movies
Uecker played the dad, George Owens, who was a sportswriter, on the TV show Mr. Belvedere from 1985 to 1990. He also made small appearances in movies like O.C. and Stiggs and Fatal Instinct. He was also in episodes of other TV shows. He even voiced a character named "Bob Yucker" in the Disney+ series Monsters at Work in 2021.
One of his most famous acting roles was Harry Doyle, the announcer for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), in the Major League movie series. In the movies, Uecker's character is known for his funny comments and for downplaying bad plays for the radio audience. For example, he famously said "Juuust a bit outside" to describe a very wild pitch. He got this role because of his popular Miller Lite commercials, not just his baseball broadcasting.
Honors and Awards
The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Uecker as Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year five times. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2011.
In 2001, Uecker was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. In 2003, he received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. This award honors broadcasters who have made big contributions to baseball. His funny and humble speech at the ceremony was a highlight.
In 2005, to celebrate Uecker's 50th year in professional baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers put the number 50 in his honor in their "Ring of Honor." In 2009, his name was also added to the Brewers Wall of Honor at American Family Field.
Uecker was also inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. This was for his appearances at the wrestling events WrestleMania III and WrestleMania IV.
On August 31, 2012, the Brewers put up a Uecker Monument outside American Family Field. It stands next to statues of other baseball legends.
On September 25, 2021, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared it Bob Uecker Day. This was to celebrate his 50th year broadcasting Brewers games. Uecker threw out the first pitch at the game, but instead of throwing it himself, he used a pitching machine!
Personal Life
Bob Uecker and his first wife, Joyce, had four children: Leeann, Steve, Sue Ann, and Bob Jr. Joyce passed away in 2015. His children Leeann and Steve also passed away.
Uecker married his second wife, Judy, in 1976. They lived in Menomonee Falls, a suburb of Milwaukee.
Bob Uecker passed away at his home on January 16, 2025, just before his 91st birthday. He had been dealing with health issues.
Books
- Catcher in the Wry (with Mickey Herskowitz)
- Catch 222
See also
In Spanish: Bob Uecker para niños
