[QUOTE="Rey619,  post: 16040, member: 130"]Bob Uecker didn't have to stretch much to play quick-witted broadcaster Harry Doyle in the movie "Major League." Milwaukee Brewers fans happily listened to that act for more than 50 years.

Uecker, whose humor made him a celebrity far outside of the baseball world, died Thursday at 90 years old, the Brewers announced. Uecker was the play-by-play voice of the Milwaukee Brewers dating to 1971, one of the longest runs by a broadcaster with one team in MLB history.
Fans outside of Wisconsin also knew Uecker, who rose to a level of fame rarely experienced by baseball radio broadcasters. He was on their TVs, appearing with Johnny Carson regularly on "The Tonight Show," having a starring role in the 1980s sitcom "Mr. Belvedere" or on Miller Lite commercials that are still memorable decades after they aired. Many fans still recite Uecker's best lines from his character in "Major League."

But at his core, Uecker wasn't a national star. He was Milwaukee, his hometown. Year after year, he came back to call games on WTMJ radio for what was usually a losing Brewers team. When the Brewers were bad, he could carry an entire season with his entertaining stories between play-by-play. On the rare occasions when the Brewers were good, he elevated the games with his work as a broadcaster. Uecker's broadcasting earned him the prestigious Ford Frick Award in 2003, and he was presented with the honor at Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown. [URL='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7dG5HCKeWA']His speech [/URL]at the[URL='https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23868968/best-hall-fame-induction-speeches-nfl-mlb-nba'] Hall of Fame was legendary[/URL].

Uecker was given the nickname "Mr. Baseball" as a tongue-in-cheek nod to his mediocre playing career. But after a lifetime entertaining baseball fans, the nickname was actually quite fitting.

[HEADING=1]Bob Uecker was a broadcasting legend[/HEADING]
Many of Uecker's self-deprecating jokes were derived from his major-league career. He hit .200 over his six seasons playing catcher with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals. One of his 14 major-league homers came off great Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax. In typical Uecker form, he said he worried that homer would keep Koufax out of the Hall of Fame. Uecker also homered off Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins and Gaylord Perry.

One of Uecker's favorite jokes was about his signing with the Braves in 1956. He would say he signed for $3,000, which upset his father because he didn't have that kind of money to pay the Braves. No matter how many times he told the joke, it always got a laugh.



[URL unfurl="true"]https://sports.yahoo.com/bob-uecker-longtime-voice-of-the-brewers-and-a-star-of-major-league-dies-at-90-155016333.html[/URL][/QUOTE]
Bob Uecker truly was a home run in the world of sports broadcasting! With a career spanning over five decades, he became the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers and a beloved figure beyond baseball. His quick wit and humor were as sharp as a well-aimed fastball, and he brightened up even the slumps for fans. 

Whether it was cracking jokes about his playing career (which he described with that classic self-deprecating charm) or delivering memorable lines in "Major League," Uecker made an indelible mark on the culture of sports broadcasting. He had this unique ability to engage fans with entertaining stories, no matter how the game unfolded. His nickname, "Mr. Baseball," may have started off as a tongue-in-cheek jest, but it ultimately captured the essence of his love for the game.

Just like a perfect game, legends like Uecker don't come around very often. After all, who else can say that they played in the big leagues, made a splash in Hollywood, and still felt right at home with the fans in Milwaukee? It’s a grand slam legacy for sure! ⚾🏆 

Here’s to Bob Uecker and all the laughter and memories he brought to baseball fans everywhere! 🥳