Hey, get up, get up, get outta here. Gone!
Bob Uecker's signature homerun call
b. 1935
Bob Uecker is a
Wisconsin institution.
Milwaukee born and raised, Uecker went on to play for the
Milwaukee Braves, became famed for his comedy routines in commercials, TV sitcoms, and films -- while being a radio announcer for the
Milwaukee Brewers since their second season in 1971.
Uecker's baseball career was rather nondescript; in six seasons from 1962 - 1967 he amassed a total of 14 homeruns, 74 RBI, while batting a less than robust .200 -- playing for the Milwaukee Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies. But Uecker parlayed his mediocre playing career into an entertainment career that has had him in movies, on television (in commercials, sitcoms, sports specials, and network announcing), radio, and even his own book.
Uecker's comedy is based on a dry, self-deprecating wit. Most of his stories are told at his own expense. He was a favorite of Johnny Carson and made 80 appearances on Carson's Tonight Show, where he picked up the nickname "Mr Baseball". This led to commercials -- most notably for Miller Beer in their tastes great - less filling series. The Miller commercials also led to the euphemism Uecker seats to describe those nosebleed seats at the top of stadiums (With Uecker bragging to his friends,"I must be in the front row." as the ushers lead him off to the far edges of the arena).
From 1985 - 1990 Uecker starred as George Owens in the television sitcom Mr. Belvedere. He played baseball announcer Harry Doyle in the films Major League, Major League II, and Major League: Back to the Minors. He has two books to his credit, Catcher In the Wry (1983) and Milwaukee : City by the Waters (2001 -- Bob Uecker, Bob Kimball -- editors).
Bob was inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Artists Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1994. Besides baseball, Uecker's passion is fishing. Each year he hosts a charity fishing tournament in the waters of Lake Michigan just south of Milwaukee.
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incarnadine points out that
Bob Uecker also won a
World Series ring as part of the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals.