MILWAUKEE — Bob Uecker, who parlayed a forgettable playing career into a punch line for movie and TV appearances as “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting tenure, has died. He was 90.
The Milwaukee Brewers, whose games Uecker had broadcast for over half a century, announced his death Thursday morning, calling it “one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history.” In a statement released by the club, Uecker’s family said he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023.
“Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter,” the family said.
Uecker was best known as a colorful comedian and broadcaster whose sense of humor and self-deprecating style earned him fame and affection beyond his .200 batting average.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker was a beloved member of the community and a pillar of the sport. He had broadcast Brewers games for the last 54 seasons.
“Even with his considerable success in Hollywood, Bob remained fiercely loyal to baseball and to Milwaukee,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
As news of Uecker’s death spread, numerous fans converged at his statue outside American Family Field. They paid their respects by leaving flowers, Brewers caps and even cans of the Miller Lite beer he endorsed at the base of the statue.
“He’s the narrator to all the best times of a couple of generations’ lives,” said Shawn Bosman of Franklin, Wisconsin, who visited the statue with his mother.
Uecker signed his first professional contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and reached the majors in 1962. He’d last six seasons in the big leagues as a backup catcher, finishing with a .200 average and 14 homers.
He won a World Series ring with St. Louis in 1964 and also played for Atlanta and Philadelphia.
“Career highlights? I had two,” he often joked. “I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.”
Uecker became the voice of the Brewers in 1971, in the second year after the team moved from Seattle.
Uecker remained with the club from that point on.
“Ueck” got his big break off the field after opening for Don Rickles at Al Hirt’s nightclub in Atlanta in 1969. That performance caught Hirt’s attention, and the musician set him up to appear on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. He became one of Carson’s favorite guests, making more than 100 appearances.
Carson was the one who dubbed Uecker “Mr. Baseball.” And the name stuck.
In a bit of casting that kept things pretty close to home, Uecker also played a prominent role in the movies “Major League” (1989) and “Major League II” (1994) as crass announcer Harry Doyle for a down-and-out Cleveland Indians franchise that finds a way to become playoff contenders.
His wry description of a badly wayward pitch — “Juuuust a bit outside!” — in the movie is still often-repeated by announcers and fans at ballparks all over.
After the Brewers were eliminated from the playoffs in 2024, Uecker’s last season, “Mr. Baseball” made sure to visit the locker room and offer support to players in a way only he could. Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said afterward the toughest part of the night was talking to Uecker because the Brewers knew how badly the longtime broadcaster wanted to see Milwaukee win a World Series.
“I remember you saying that no matter how much time you have, it still never feels like enough, and that seems pretty true today,” Yelich said Thursday in an Instagram post. “You’d always thank me for my friendship, but the truth of it is the pleasure was all mine. I’ll miss you, my friend.”