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
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.
Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.
We were on for six years. We were in syndication for a while. It had its run. I still see the people from 'Mr. Belvedere,' too. We stay in touch.
I had a .200 lifetime batting average in the major leagues, which tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better for a ten-year period: Don Carter, one of our top bowlers.
I spent three of the best years of my life in 10th grade.
You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year...unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time.
In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.
If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.
In those days, your contract for the next year was based on your innings pitched.
Career highlights? I had two - I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.
I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.
Hey, I think it's easy for guys to hit .300 and stay in the big leagues. Hit .200 and try to stick around as long as I did; I think it's a much greater accomplishment. That's hard.
You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year... unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time.
We're like a family. When someone is gone for a few games, we wonder what's happened to them.