MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bob Uecker, who turned a modest playing career into comedic fodder for movie and television appearances like “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting career, has passed away. He was 90 years old.
The Milwaukee Brewers, whose games Uecker broadcasted on the radio for over half a century, announced his passing on Thursday morning, calling it "one of the toughest days in Milwaukee Brewers history."
In a statement issued by the club, Uecker's family said he had been battling small cell lung cancer since early 2023.
"Even in the face of this challenge, their enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing their spirit to falter," the family stated.
His sense of humor and self-critical style as a broadcaster earned him fame and affection beyond his batting average of .200.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker was a beloved member of the baseball community and a pillar of the sport in the state of Wisconsin. He has broadcasted the Brewers games for the past 54 seasons.
"Despite his considerable success in Hollywood, Bob remained fiercely loyal to baseball and to Milwaukee," said Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. "He loved the game and used his platform to help numerous charitable causes in his hometown and beyond."
Uecker signed his first professional contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and reached the majors in 1962. He spent six seasons in the Major Leagues as a backup catcher, with a .200 batting average and 14 home runs.
He won a World Series ring with St. Louis in 1964 and also played for Atlanta and Philadelphia.
"Highlights of my career? I had two," he used to joke. "I received an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and got out of a jam against the Mets."
Uecker also struck up a friendship with Bud Selig, the former owner of the Brewers and MLB commissioner, who initially hired him as a scout.
Selig eventually took Uecker to the broadcast booth and he became the voice of the Brewers in 1971, the second year after the team moved from Seattle.
Uecker stayed with the club from that moment on and became one of the most enduring figures of the Brewers.
Uecker was honored by the Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award in 2003 and spent nearly 20 minutes making the crowd gathered in Cooperstown, New York, of about 18,000 people laugh.
“Ueck” had his big break off the field after opening for Don Rickles at Al Hirt's nightclub in Atlanta in 1969. That performance caught Hirt's attention, and the musician helped him get on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. He became one of Carson's favorite guests, making over 100 appearances.
Carson was the one who gave Uecker the nickname "Mr. Baseball." And the name stuck.
But Uecker's comedy was just one part of his skills. His enthusiastic narration made Uecker a natural talent, becoming one of the first commentators on national television broadcasts with ABC in the 1970s.
Uecker also played a prominent role in the films Major League (1989) and Major League II (1994) as the crude announcer Harry Doyle for a struggling Cleveland Indians franchise that finds a way to become playoff contenders.
The stadium, now known as American Family Field, has two statues in honor of Uecker. There is one statue outside the stadium and another in the back of Section 422, a nod to the Miller Lite beer commercial where he famously said, "I must be in the front row!" as he was being taken to one of the worst seats in the stadium.