"I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually scraped it up."
It would be difficult to find someone in Milwaukee who hasn't heard of Bob Uecker, or at the very least heard his voice. After an undistinguished baseball career, Uecker has become a local and national broadcasting legend, combining a love and knowledge of the game with self-deprecating jabs and biting wit. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker did in fact start his professional career with the hometown team in 1956 although it took him nearly 6 years to reach the major leagues as he worked his way up through various affiliates. He was an undistinguished player, batting .200 lifetime over a 6 year career. As he describes it:
"Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets."
After retiring from baseball, he returned to Milwaukee and began doing local radio broadcasts starting in 1971. He was wildly successful as an announcer and began to do nationally televised games as the color commentator for Major League Baseball games on ABC in the 70s and 80s, and hosting shows such as Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports.
For many who grew up in the 80s, he is best known as the dad on Mr. Belvedere, an ABC Sitcom that ran from 1985-1990, and most notably as Harry Doyle, announcer for Cleveland Indians in the movie Major League. His movie catchphrase, "Juuuust a bit outside", is well-quoted to this day. At age 87, Uecker is still in the radio broadcast booth, only taking short break briefly in 2010 when he underwent heart valve surgery. Today in his 51st season in the broadcast booth, as anyone who listens to Brewers baseball can attest, he is just as sharp and funny as ever. It is a pleasure to share this portrait of Mr. Baseball, the voice of summer for three generations.