Elliott: Remembering Bob Uecker

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The first time I realized what a sense of humor Bob Uecker had was in the spring of 1962.

Uecker, a back-up catcher on “my team” the Milwaukee Braves, was quoted in Sports Illustrated’s weekly They Said It feature saying:

“My roommate and I have 400 home runs, Eddie Mathews has 399 and I have one.” _ Bob Uecker.

Three decades later in the press box at Milwaukee’s County Stadium I reminded him of that great line. Uecker explained that the new up-to-date total was 526 ... “Eddie finished with 512 and I had 14 ... pitchers always bore down on me.”

Nicknamed ‘Mr. Baseball,’ by Johnny Carson of the Tonight Show, Uecker made his career as a self-deprecatingly analyst. He did not point out that day in the press box that he took Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.) and Gaylord Perry. He took former all-stars Ken Holtzman, Dick Ellsworth, Hal Woodeshick and Denny Lemaster deep. His other homers came against former 20-game winner Ray Sadecki (twice) and one each against Ron Herbel, Dave Eilers, Diomedes Olivo, Rob Gardner and Wade Blasingame.

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“My cousin is a cop. Near American Family Field there is a police bar. Bob Uecker was in there one day with my aunt and uncle. The place is packed for lunch with police officers. ‘Ueck’ walked in, had his pictures taken with everyone and had his lunch. Then he left. After he leaves, the PA announcer said over the loudspeaker: ‘All of your meals have been paid for.’ Bob paid for everyone’s lunch. RIP Mr. Baseball.” _ Robin Adams, co-owner of the Sports Heroics Network and co-host of BrewFathers._

“The loss of Bob Uecker is a tough one for the world of baseball. Through all the ups and downs of the things that have gone on in the game Ueck always brought us back to what it truly is. Fun. Thank you for bringing joy to the fans of baseball every day.” _ Former Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, MLB Network.

“Since Bob was so popular in Milwaukee and such a celebrity through his work on TV and in commercials, he was hounded no matter where we went. One time in Chicago a fan stopped him and asked for an autograph at our hotel. Bob said ‘Sorry, I only sign at the ballpark.’ So, we get to Wrigley Field and there is the same fan. He asks Bob again for an autograph and Bob says ‘No sir, I only sign at the hotel.’ He loved the players, he loved Milwaukee and he loved Wisconsin. He spent the season in Milwaukee and his winters in Phoenix.” _ Gord Ash, Brewers, vice president, baseball projects.

“We talked often. After working with him on our Krylon commercials, we talked about every month. He made me laugh to the point I had tears. Funniest and most admired man I have ever met. I asked him about his fishing years ago. He absolutely loved fishing. Sometimes he would joke that he put his wife in a wet suit with hooks, but trolling with her as bait didn’t pay off.” _ Hall of Famer Johnny Bench. who, over the decades that followed those TV spots, saw Ueuker's humor evolve with the times.

“Many times during spring training, I would have dinner at one of the iconic baseball hangouts of the last 40 years - Don & Charlie’s in Scottsdale, Az. At least once a spring, I would sit with the owner Don Carson and Commissioner Bud Selig and ‘Mr. Baseball.’ It was like watching a comedy show in real time, and as ‘Ueck’ would say, from the front row: ‘two hours.’ It was unscripted. Unbelievable. Unforgettable.” _ Former Los Angeles Dodgers GM, Ned Colletti, now a San Jose Sharks scout.

“All I can add is he was one of the most friendly ‘stars’ you could come across. Always loved spending time with him in our radio booth when he would visit Herb Score. In the company of royalty, soaking in the stories and friendship they shared. We had a very friendly connection with his role in Major League as (broadcaster) Harry Doyle. I had script approval –- it sounds more important than the actual role –- and he would kid that I did a bad job, allowing him to be a part of the movie. Of course, I had no influence whatsoever. Such a nice, fun, happy man.” _ Bob DiBiasio, vice-president, Cleveland Guardians.

“Ueck was a teammate - a teammate to the Brewers organization, fans and city of Milwaukee. In a game built around failure, Ueck showed the rare quality of slicing through those failures with humor, reliability and support. We will all miss our good friend Ueck.” _ Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.), Brewers assistant coach, Brewers.

“I had half a year with him in Milwaukee before I got my concussion. Every time he came in the clubhouse before the game it seemed like he had a story to share. I absolutely loved it. You were drawn to him because it seemed like he was always smiling and encouraging you in someway.” _ Former Brewer and ex-Jay Corey Koskie (Anola, Man.).

“I was a board member of the PBSF (Professional Baseball Scouts Association) and we honored Bob Uecker one year. He told this story and had the crowd rolling: the Braves scout came into their house to sign him ... the scout explained to Ueck’s father what the signing bonus was ... Ueck’s dad said, ‘well, that is a little more than we can afford, but we will pay.’” _ J.J. Lally, White Sox scout.

“During my years as general manager of the Brewers if our team had a few tough losses or losing streak Bob Uecker was the perfect guy to sit with because he could make you laugh and put things into perspective. He would say ‘If you think losing four in a row is bad, how about hitting .197 for an entire year..” _ Doug Melvin, former Brewers GM, now special assistant to the GM.

“I ran into him several times in the dining room or the press area in Milwaukee when I was scouting the Brewers from around 2008 to 2016. I was there quite a bit during those years, since it was only a couple hours from my home by car. We chit chatted on occasion. He was great. Back then the Brewers had the scouts park in this employee lot at Miller Park. It was beneath the overpass and you would walk back beneath the overpass through the loading dock into the tunnel of the stadium. It was meant for both walking and utility vehicles. So as you are walking in the bowels of the stadium toward the clubhouses on your left was one of the main elevators. There was a good amount of room in front of that elevator. And every single Brewers home game there was always one vehicle there. It wasn’t designated for parking, but there was plenty of room. Usually it was new convertible Corvette, but on occasion it was a really nice new SUV. Year to year the vehicles would change, but it was always a new convertible Corvette or a new SUV. One day I ask the security guy about this ‘custom’ parking spot of such great convenience. One day he starts laughing and tells me ‘that’s Ueck’s spot.’ So basically Ueck literally drives right through the loading dock into the tunnel, parks in front of the elevator and takes that up to the press box to go to work. Without a doubt the greatest parking spot in all of the majors. Next time I run into him in the dining room I ask about the Corvette. He tells me he gets a new SUV loaned to him every year from a local dealership. By this time he’s gotta be in his late 70s, so I’m a bit surprised he would request a new ragtop Vette as a daily drive. I ask him how much he likes it? In a very typical, animated Bob Uecker-like style he replies, ‘Oh shit, it goes like hell, even better in the summer with the top down.’ Talk about a life well lived. R.I.P. Bob Uecker.” _ Billy Milos, scout, former Minnesota Twins, now with Colorado Rockies.

“Bob used to tell people that he’s ‘known Zack since he was a fetus.’” _ Zack Minasian, vice-president San Francisco Giants, former Brewers executive.

“We used to have a transistor radio in the bullpen to listen to the WTMJ broadcast with Ueck and Pat Hughes ... Ueck used to say … ‘Now coming in for The Crew is lefty Tony Fossas … The Mechanic ... our version of Mr Fixit … this guy can fix any potential inning and get out of a mess.’ So one day I ask Ueck about the nickname he gave Fossas ... ‘the Mechanic … ‘How’d you come up with that one?’ He replies … ‘He looks like an auto mechanic from Jiffy Lube that changes your oil.’” _ Dan Plesac, former Brewers and Blue Jays reliever.

“We are on a charter from Milwaukee to Seattle … Ueck gets in the cockpit and announces a four-hour flight from Milwaukee to Seattle on the intercom … “Welcome aboard gents .. this is Ueck from the cockpit … Fasten your seat belts and make sure your seat backs are upright …. on this flight we have a Rocky Marciano, Marylin Monroe, John Wayne triple feature for your viewing pleasure.’” _ Plesac.

“As a visiting manager I can only remember three broadcasters for the home team that requested to spend some time ... 1-on-1 time to ask questions about our club in order to have a better broadcast and be accurate about our team. Vin Scully ... Ken (Hawk) Harrelson ... and ... Bob Uecker. He took a lot of pride in his broadcasts and was so proud of being a part of Major League Baseball and wanted to uphold his end. The game will miss him. Like the George Jones song I worry ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes’” _ Three-time manager of the year Buck Showalter, MLB Network.

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The late Tim McCarver told me his favorite Uecker story at aa reception at Cooperstown in 2012. The mighty New York Yankees came to Busch Stadium for Game 1 of the 1964 World Series. McCarver was the starting catcher and Uecker was his back up. As the Cards batting practice was ending a DixieLand and was playing in the outfield.

Uecker borrowed the tuba from a member of the player and then wandered around catching fly balls off the hitters bats during batting practice.

“Here are the Yankees, with all their championships and all their great players like Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Elston Howard, Mel Stottlemyre and Ralph Terry looking over at our team ... and we got a guy catching fly balls with a tuba.”

The Cardinals, behind MVP Bob Gibson, who won three games and 4 2/3 scoreless and a save from reliever Ron Taylor (Leaside, Ont.) certainly were not intimidated by the Yankees winning in Game 7 of the Series.

“Best part of the story?” McCarver said with a laugh, “our general manager Bob Howsam sent Uecker a bill for damaging the band’s tuba. It cut into Ueck’s World Series share.”