RIP Bob Uecker

[BrewerFan]

On 1/16/2025 at 10:25 AM, HarryDoyle said:

I’m not one to get star struck easily. There’s only been two times I’ve ever cried over a celebrity.Norm. McDonald and Eddie Van Halen. Today is the third.

And Norm and Uecker were friends. 

[bigred]

Am I the only one, who thinks it's weird that this has only garnered 5 pages of comments? With how much Ueck meant to this franchise, I'd have thought this would have at least 20 pages by now. 

[pitchleague]

I also find it strange that I haven't seen any comment from Robin Yount on Uecker's passing.  Did I just miss it?

[Pugger]

On 1/16/2025 at 11:25 AM, Michael Trzinski said:

I rarely tear up when a celebrity dies, but I did today. Rest in Peace in the Front Row in Heaven, Ueck. God's Peace 💔

Ueck wasn't just a celebrity.  He was almost family to so many of us.  We felt like we knew him even though most of us didn't.  I had no idea he was battling cancer.  😓

[Jim Goulart]

 

[bigred]

9 hours ago, pitchleague said:

I also find it strange that I haven't seen any comment from Robin Yount on Uecker's passing.  Did I just miss it?

I haven't seen any statements from him. 

[LouisEly]

12 hours ago, Pugger said:

Ueck wasn't just a celebrity.  He was almost family to so many of us.  We felt like we knew him even though most of us didn't.  I had no idea he was battling cancer.  😓

He was probably the only celebrity who made their way into our living rooms, bedrooms, backyards, patios, and cars thousands of times.  In that way, he was family.

[Madhawk23]

On 1/18/2025 at 9:42 AM, pitchleague said:

I also find it strange that I haven't seen any comment from Robin Yount on Uecker's passing.  Did I just miss it?

I thought the same thing yesterday.  I know Robin is very private, but I would have figured that he would have released a comment through the team at least?  Not judging the guy, but he is the 2nd biggest name in franchise history (behind Ueck), and we know how close the two of them were.  Just is a bit odd that we haven't heard anything from him yet.  

[JRob1125]

1 hour ago, Madhawk23 said:

I thought the same thing yesterday.  I know Robin is very private, but I would have figured that he would have released a comment through the team at least?  Not judging the guy, but he is the 2nd biggest name in franchise history (behind Ueck), and we know how close the two of them were.  Just is a bit odd that we haven't heard anything from him yet.  

Makes me wonder how he's handling this mentally 

 

It still doesn't feel real

[pitchleague]

3 hours ago, Madhawk23 said:

I thought the same thing yesterday.  I know Robin is very private, but I would have figured that he would have released a comment through the team at least?  Not judging the guy, but he is the 2nd biggest name in franchise history (behind Ueck), and we know how close the two of them were.  Just is a bit odd that we haven't heard anything from him yet.  

There was this tiny part of me that thought, "well, maybe Ueck didn't tell him about the cancer!  And now Robin is upset that he wasn't in the inner circle for that information."  And then I said, "yeah, right . . . "

[homer]

Milwaukee movie theater showing Major League to honor Uecker. 

Story w link to tickets here:

Avalon is a neat, old theater in Bay View. It has glowing "stars" on the ceiling.

[gypcasino]

On 1/18/2025 at 9:28 AM, bigred said:

Am I the only one, who thinks it's weird that this has only garnered 5 pages of comments? With how much Ueck meant to this franchise, I'd have thought this would have at least 20 pages by now. 

It's mostly about the relevance of message boards in 2025. 

[patrickgpe]

I think there is still a place for message boards, well moderated. It’s more effective in season. To be honest, what is there to say? It’s sad. Most of the legendary moments of his career fans have heard dozens of times. I tried to post a few lesser famous ones, but I think that’s the issue 

[MadScientist]

On 1/18/2025 at 9:28 AM, bigred said:

Am I the only one, who thinks it's weird that this has only garnered 5 pages of comments? With how much Ueck meant to this franchise, I'd have thought this would have at least 20 pages by now. 

Not really.   The playoff games only generated 24 pages.  There's a lot to continually talk about during a game.  As big as this is for the Brewers, once you've said your peace,  there isn't much else to say.  Also, it's easy to say something when something great happens, or vent when something makes you mad.  But sad? That just causes you to be choked up, and the words don't always come.

Since I haven't said my thoughts yet, I know that I will really miss hearing that first game of the season.  When the first pitch was thrown and you could hear the energy and excitement in his voice.  Maybe there was snow on the ground and everything else was wrong in the world,  but there was one thing that was just right.

He wasn't just a seasoned pro calling the game. He was a fan with the privilege of sharing the game with those of us who couldn't be there.  Springs, and summers, will never be the same.

[hawing]

2 hours ago, gypcasino said:

It's mostly about the relevance of message boards in 2025. 

Plus it's a tough topic.  I barely have the words to talk about it yet.  Maybe it's just me (I doubt it this time!), but I want my tribute to Bob to be the best words I can string together. 

 

[bigred]

3 hours ago, MadScientist said:

Not really.   The playoff games only generated 24 pages.  There's a lot to continually talk about during a game.  As big as this is for the Brewers, once you've said your peace,  there isn't much else to say.  Also, it's easy to say something when something great happens, or vent when something makes you mad.  But sad? That just causes you to be choked up, and the words don't always come.

Since I haven't said my thoughts yet, I know that I will really miss hearing that first game of the season.  When the first pitch was thrown and you could hear the energy and excitement in his voice.  Maybe there was snow on the ground and everything else was wrong in the world,  but there was one thing that was just right.

He wasn't just a seasoned pro calling the game. He was a fan with the privilege of sharing the game with those of us who couldn't be there.  Springs, and summers, will never be the same.

Yeah, that makes some sense. Everyone expreses grief differently. 

[CheezWizHed]

18 hours ago, hawing said:

Plus it's a tough topic.  I barely have the words to talk about it yet.  Maybe it's just me (I doubt it this time!), but I want my tribute to Bob to be the best words I can string together. 

 

Yes. This.  I posted my memories on the day it happened after reading several pages of other's comments.  It helped to see what others felt about him.

Then for the last couple days, I've avoiding reading more (until now).  Ueck is the first celebrity that I've really mourned over.  I felt sad for others that have passed, but losing Ueck is like losing a bit of my childhood.  Not like losing a family member, but certainly more than anyone else that doesn't know me.

Maybe our site traffic is down in the offseason, but I think some people like myself are still processing it. 

[JRob1125]

I've only been following the Brewers since 1997 and this is the first celebrity death that made me cry. I'm sure people who've been following decades longer are having an even harder time processing it

[yfinn6]

This thread probably doesn't have as many replies because I, like many I'm sure, don't have anything new or profound to add. 

For me, Uecker was summer and summer nights, road trips with my Dad, Harry Doyle, etc. A huge chunk of my childhood, in other words. As an adult I still loved hearing the voice, even if his skills had slipped a bit. Uecker'isms from me hearing him on the radio will stay with me for the rest of my life probably, just like other core memories will. 

Should be an interesting year, or at least start to the year with various tributes. 

[Playing Catch]

My sentiments are quite similar to those of the entire thread. Uecker was ours. He was part of our own journeys. He was us.

I believe that is one of the reasons I mourn his loss a little differently. I didn't know Uecker. I never met him. I have a hard time mourning the loss of someone I never even met. But I DO mourn, in a nostalgic way, all of those hours and hours spent with loved ones. Sports, and Brewers baseball in particular, will always have happiness and satisfaction wrapped up in it. Even though I listened to what feels like every single game from 1993 to 2005 (zero winning seasons), remembering those moments brings me joy. I mourn growing up and growing older. I mourn days and years that felt simpler for everyone. Times that didn't seem quite so screwed up. Uecker, like many of the older generations, reminds me of happier times.

With this acknowledged, I believe Bob would want this thread to be a little more of a celebration of life! Ninety years! What an amazing life journey he had!

God bless you, Bob, and may you rest in peace.

[valpocrewsader]

I don't know if this was posted anywhere, but looks like a couple of weeks ago the Milwaukee Admirals uploaded a video package to YouTube with all of Uecker's TV commercials for the Admirals.  Must be from early/mid 90s?  I had totally forgotten about these gems -- definitely brought back some memories.

There's like 15 or 16 ads, all conveniently bundled into one video.  Watching them now, I found myself equal parts entertained and impressed -- extremely funny, yes, but also just really well done.  Seems like much better production quality than you'd expect for minor league hockey TV spots made 30 years ago.  Gotta think Ueck had a lot to do with that, but hats off to everyone involved in these pieces.

 

 

[kestrel79]

I remember those Uke Admirals ads well. Thanks for sharing!

[CheezWizHed]

15 hours ago, valpocrewsader said:

I don't know if this was posted anywhere, but looks like a couple of weeks ago the Milwaukee Admirals uploaded a video package to YouTube with all of Uecker's TV commercials for the Admirals.  Must be from early/mid 90s?  I had totally forgotten about these gems -- definitely brought back some memories.

There's like 15 or 16 ads, all conveniently bundled into one video.  Watching them now, I found myself equal parts entertained and impressed -- extremely funny, yes, but also just really well done.  Seems like much better production quality than you'd expect for minor league hockey TV spots made 30 years ago.  Gotta think Ueck had a lot to do with that, but hats off to everyone involved in these pieces.

 

 

Yes, I was at MSOE from '92-96 and have seen most of these then.  A few Admirals' games too.  

[craigharmann]

Bob Uecker was the voice of my childhood. Not just the Brewers, but watching him in Miller Lite commercials, pretty much everything he was in. Of course, because watching the games on TV wasn't as prevalent, he was what got me through the rough times as a young Brewer fan in the mid 80's. Even after I moved away from Wisconsin as an adult, I'd still tune in to hear him and see what new stories he'd come up with....or laugh at the old ones. I'm thankful for the opportunity to listen and I know he'll be missed.

[Jim Goulart]