The Opening Day Wisconsin Said Good-Bye to Bob Uecker

Melancholy filled the broadcast and the ballpark,  it was  the first opening day in Milwaukee without Uek.

His seat in the radio booth sat empty. Bob Eucker was a unique entertainer, loved by baseball fans everywhere but in Milwaukee he was royalty. He was born there in 1934.

He spent parts of six seasons in the majors. He finally reached the show at age twenty-eight and got to play for his home town Braves. He played parts of six seasons in the big leagues and won a ring with the Cardinals.

He wasn’t much of a hitter, finished right at .200 and hit fourteen big league homers, but he was funny.

Broadcast Career

The Brewers got to Milwaukee in 1970. Uecker started with them the next season as a broadcaster. He spent fifty-four years as the voice of the team while building a huge entertainment career.

Uecker’s visits to late night tv host Johnny Carson were legendary. His comedy was self deprecating and exceptionally timed. Clearly the man had always been naturally funny.

Ueker told the iconic story of the St Louis Cardinals freaking out because they noticed Eucker and hall of fame pitcher Bob Gibson had ruined the shot by holding hands. Gibson wasn’t the type to be triflled with but Gibby found Uecker legit funny.

Television Career

He hosted a few sports related shows but was best known on television for his role as sportswriter George Owens on the eighties sitcom Mr Belvedere. That run lasted from 1985–1990.

Despite all that time on a sitcom, his most memorable tv work came in commercials, especially Miller Lite. Out of this one came two of his iconic oft repeated lines.

 

HE MISSED THE TAG!!

Bob Uecker was the baseball voice in Milwaukee and had become a national figure with talk shows and television but his biggest bump was still to come.

Movies

In 1989 he took on the role of Cleveland baseball play by play announcer Harry Doyle in what became a movie trilogy, Major League. If folks didn’t know Bob Uecker before, they knew him now.

https://youtu.be/s_qZRkiJGYQ?si=vx_sfI6ZsR8Ml0ct

Uecker was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2001. Two years later he won the Ford C. Frick award, the broadcasters entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

On Opening day Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and Brewers fans everywhere said good-bye to the voice of their summers, their great beloved native son. Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was feeling very Uecker-ish, dressing as the announcer might have on opening day.

Head to toe Uecker flow 🙏🏼 @ChristianYelich arriving at Yankee Stadium in a white and navy plaid suit custom designed by yours truly for #OpeningDay #Brewers pic.twitter.com/PL0ukJqBWk

— Gentleman's Playbook (@GentsPlaybook) March 28, 2025