Hall of Fame broadcaster and beloved Milwaukee Brewers icon Bob Uecker died Thursday at the age of 90.
The Milwaukee native had been battling lung cancer since early 2023, his family revealed. He would have turned 91 on Jan. 26.
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Bob. To many, he was an announcer and entertainer whose humor and voice transcended the game, but to us he was so much more,” his family said in a statement.
“… He brought joy to countless listeners through his wit, charisma, and love for baseball, Milwaukee, and all of Wisconsin, creating a legacy that will forever be cherished. While his contributions to the game are noteworthy, it is his kindness, humility, and love for family and friends that we will hold closest to our hearts. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time as we grieve and celebrate the man we were so lucky to call ours.”
Uecker spent six seasons as a catcher in the majors, debuting with the then-Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and winning a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964.
After Uecker’s retirement with a .200 career batting average, then-Brewers owner and future MLB commissioner Bud Selig hired him as a scout and he eventually transitioned to the radio booth. Uecker spent more than 50 years calling games for Milwaukee and was renowned for his self-deprecating humor.
Uecker once called his statue outside of Milwaukee’s ballpark “great for the fans and even better for the pigeons.”
He was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Radio Hall of Fame, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the 2003 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
Away from the game he loved, Uecker became a regular on late-night TV and was dubbed “Mr. Baseball” by Johnny Carson. He starred in a series of Miller Lite beer commercials, hosted “Saturday Night Live” and delivered classic one-liners in the 1989 comedy film “Major League.”
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred on Thursday labeled Uecker as one of the game’s most beloved figures.
“In his six years in his hometown of Milwaukee as well as St. Louis, Philadelphia and Atlanta, Bob made lifelong friendships with many Hall of Famers and other stars of the ’60s, and he was a member of the 1964 World Series Champion Cardinals,” Manfred said in a statement. “Near the beginning of his remarkable 54-year run in the Brewers’ radio booth, Bob’s trademark wit became a staple of television and movies. Even with his considerable success in Hollywood, Bob remained fiercely loyal to baseball and to Milwaukee. He loved the game and used his platform to help numerous charitable causes in his hometown and beyond.
“Bob was the genuine item: always the funniest person in any room he was in, and always an outstanding ambassador for our national pastime. We are grateful for this baseball life like no other, and we will never forget him. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest sympathy to Bob’s family, his many friends across the game, Brewers fans, and the countless baseball fans who admired him.”
The Brewers remembered Uecker as “the soundtrack of our summers” in a statement released Thursday.
“Today we take on the heaviest of burdens. Today, we say goodbye to our beloved friend, Bob Uecker,” it read.
“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.
“… 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.”
