Before joining the broadcasting world, Bob Uecker served in the United States Army. After he finished his duty, Uecker signed a contract to play for the Milwaukee Braves, his hometown team.
He served as a backup catcher throughout his career, making stops with the Braves (1962-1963), St. Louis Cardinals (1964-1965), Philadelphia Phillies (1966-1967), and the Atlanta Braves (1967). Over his six-year career, Uecker combined to hit .200/.293/.287 with 17 HRs and 74 RBIs.
His career as a player was neither long nor luminous, but as Uecker was wont to do, he was able to turn even the most mundane moments into grand spectacles.
On July 24, 1965, #StLCards Bob Uecker hit a home run off #Dodgers Sandy Koufax called by Vin Scully on the home broadcast and Harry Caray alongside Jack Buck on the visiting broadcast.
— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) January 17, 2025
The brilliant part of Uecker's humor in the booth was that he did not take himself too seriously. He knew he had an underwhelming baseball career and poked fun at himself, which led to many memorable quotes and showing fans his hilarious banter.
19 minutes of legendary Bob Uecker calls and moments 💙 pic.twitter.com/2gcQK2Mtzf
— MLB (@MLB) January 16, 2025
In a book by Drew Olsen, Bill Schroeder, et al., If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers: Stories from the Dugout, Locker Room, and PressBox, Uecker shared a few laughable quotes. One in particular stands out to me:
"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."Bob Uecker
Another memorable zinger was his mention of escalating player salaries in the modern games. Reflecting on his own playing career, he said "I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and 11 of that came from selling other players' equipment."
After he finished his baseball career, Uecker joined the Milwaukee Brewers as their play-by-play announcer from 1971-2024. The well-respected announcer had a way of delivering the game in a way that was always entertaining and kept listeners engaged. Viewers could sense the announcer's passion for baseball by the enthusiasm and personality he delivered on the mic. He is known for his catchphrase when the Brewers hit home runs, "Get Up! Get Up! Get Outta Here! Gone!"
Uecker also had a renowned acting career, during which he delivered many memorable quotes that fans still recite today. One of his most famous quotes was from the movie Major League.
In that film, he was the announcer for a struggling Cleveland Indians team, Harry Doyle. "Wild Thing" Rick Vaughan, played by Charlie Sheen, was a very erratic pitcher at the beginning of the movie. He would pitch a ball to the backstop, and Uecker wittingly delivered the line "Juuuuuuuuust a bit outside. He tried the corner and missed," following that up with, "Ball 4. Ball 8. Ball 12. And Vaughan walks the bases loaded on 12 straight pitches. Boy, how are these guys laying off pitches this close?"
One could sit here and continually write one hilarious and brilliant quote after another. That shows the type of guy Uecker was. He always made life fun no matter what he was doing or the job.
The announcer was a beloved figure in baseball, not only to Brewers fans but also to fans worldwide. Bob Uecker will be sincerely missed, and Brewers games will never sound the same.