R.I.P.: Bob Uecker, MLB Player, Broadcaster

Milwaukee Brewers and broadcasting legend Bob Uecker passed away Thursday at the age of 90, the Brewers have announced.

“Today, we take on the heaviest of burdens. Today, we say goodbye to our beloved friend, Bob Uecker," a statement from the Brewers reads.

“Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss. He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends.

“Saying goodbye to Bob shakes us all. He was so much more than a Milwaukee Brewers icon. He was a national treasure. Bob entertained us with his words and storytelling, so it is no surprise that his passing now leaves us at a loss for our own words.

“There is no describing the impact Ueck had on so many, and no words for how much he was loved. We are left with a giant void in our hearts, but also remember the laughter and joy he brought to our lives throughout the years.”

Uecker, who died Thursday at 90, spent 53 years doing what he loved most, which was to call Brewers games on the radio. Uecker was so good as a radio broadcaster, with his special comedic style and quick wit, the Baseball Hall of Fame honored him in 2003 with the Ford C. Frick Award. It’s one of several halls of fame honoring him, from Wisconsin’s to the WWE’s, a reminder of his wide-ranging ability to elicit smiles and laughter. No matter how bright a star he became outside of his sport and the city he called home, for the entirety of the franchise’s existence — 54 years — Uecker had been synonymous with Milwaukee Brewers baseball.

Uecker was born Jan. 26, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents, Gus and Sue Uecker, were Swiss immigrants who came to Wisconsin in the 1920s. Gus was a tool and die maker who played soccer in his native Switzerland. Uecker once said, “That’s where I got my talent.” Growing up, Uecker was actually a pitcher. He didn’t finish high school and in 1954, at the age of 20, he enlisted in the Army. He hoped to avoid going overseas by playing military baseball with soldiers who had played in the minors or in college. Since, Uecker hadn’t yet done either, he lied. 

According to a USA Today article in 1997, he said he had played at Marquette, given that it was a college in his native Milwaukee. “Marquette didn’t have a team, but they never checked,” he said. After his time in the service, Uecker became the first Milwaukee native to sign with the Braves.

“You know, I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for $3,000,” Uecker once said. “That bothered my dad at the time because he didn’t have that kind of dough to pay out. But eventually, he scraped it up.”