It’s hard to imagine baseball without Bob Uecker after his passing today at age 90. Bob was a Major League baseball player, Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster, and pop culture icon. For me, his most endearing quality was his self-deprecating humor and a kind of wit that made him universally loved. He always felt like a great guy to be around.
Uecker wasn’t the star player on any team. Instead of pretending to be something he wasn’t, Uecker leaned into the fact that he was just an ordinary player trying to make a living. He fully embraced the idea that he wasn’t the best, the brightest, or the most skilled — and made a career out of it. One of his signature lines was, "I had a brief career as a major league baseball player, which was probably the best thing I could have done at the time."
Through commercials and movie appearances, he became known for other memorable lines. In a Miller Lite beer commercial, when shown being escorted from his seat, he claims, “I must be in the front row!” (https://youtu.be/DPh4iF76LbU?feature=shared) It was a line that only someone who didn’t take themselves too seriously could deliver. In the movie Major League, he plays a washed-up announcer who famously calls a VERY wild pitch, “just a bit outside.” (https://youtu.be/IVP9WUGdgPg?feature=shared) For guys my age, we voiced those two lines a lot with our buddies.
Bob had a comedian's timing and told hilarious stories. He appeared on Johnny Carson over 200 times and had his own TV show "Mr. Belvedere," from ’85-’90. In 2003 Uecker was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his 54-year broadcasting career. This clip of his acceptance speech is priceless (https://bit.ly/4h28sdC).
So, here’s to Bob Uecker who embraced his imperfections with a healthy dose of humility and laughter. His humor and warmth will never be forgotten and he will forever be in the front row.
Comments