Former catcher, radio announcer, pitch-man, raconteur, and actor Bob Uecker died Thursday at the age of 90:
“While this onetime backup catcher was known for his self-deprecating style, Bob Uecker was one of the game’s most beloved figures throughout his 70-year career in baseball,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “In his six years in his hometown of Milwaukee as well as St. Louis, Philadelphia and Atlanta, Bob made lifelong friendships with many Hall of Famers and other stars of the ’60s, and he was a member of the 1964 World Series Champion Cardinals. Near the beginning of his remarkable 54-year run in the Brewers’ radio booth, Bob’s trademark wit became a staple of television and movies. Even with his considerable success in Hollywood, Bob remained fiercely loyal to baseball and to Milwaukee. He loved the game and used his platform to help numerous charitable causes in his hometown and beyond.
“Bob was the genuine item: always the funniest person in any room he was in, and always an outstanding ambassador for our National Pastime. We are grateful for this baseball life like no other, and we will never forget him. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest sympathy to Bob’s family, his many friends across the game, Brewers fans and the countless baseball fans who admired him.”
MLB.com
My thoughts go out to his family and friends.
Uecker spent his career as a back-up catcher. He hit poorly. As you can tell from his career .200/.293/.287 slash line, his strength at the plate came from drawing walks, with 96 in 834 PA. With few extra-base hits, he managed to bring his slugging percentage below his OBP. His best season came in 1966 for Philadelphia when he hit .208/.279/.338 with seven home runs and solid defense behind the plate.
Uecker went on to a great career off the field, as his humor made him a legend. This is the bit I will always remember:
His radio broadcasting of Brewers games got a .200 hitter into the hall of fame. What a marvelous life.