Bob Uecker
Bob Uecker
Robert George "Bob" Ueckeris a retired American Major League Baseball player, later a sportscaster, comedian and actor. Uecker was given the title of "Mr. Baseball" by TV talk show host Johnny Carson. Since 1971, Uecker has served as a play-by-play announcer for Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcasts. Uecker was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with its 2003 Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting career...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth26 January 1935
CityMilwaukee, WI
CountryUnited States of America
I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a
I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.
Between me and my roommate, we've hit 400 Major League home runs.
I had been playing for a while, and I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame treated bats. But when I got it, I realized they had sent me a box of ashes.
Where would I be without baseball? Who am I without baseball?
In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.
The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.
Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.
On TV the people can see it. On radio you've got to create it.
Not bragging by any means, but I could have done a lot of other stuff as far as working in films go and working in television... I had chances to do that stuff, but I like baseball, I really do.
I used to soak my mitts in a bucket of water for about two days. Then I'd put a couple of baseballs in the pocket and wrap it up with a rubber band. Today you don't have to do that, because catchers' mitts are more like first baseman's gloves.
Before broadcasting for 50-some years, I did TV, played 10 years in the big leagues, won a world championship - and played a big part in that, too, letting the Cardinals inject me with hepatitis. Takes a big man to do that.
I was acting when I was playing baseball.
I did stand-up, weird and ignorant stuff about my career - anything for a laugh.