I always remember him telling a story, probably on the Tonight Show, about a game when he was batting in the top of the ninth with two out and the tying run in scoring position. "I looked over in the other team's dugout. They were already in street clothes."
Beautiful. Another piece of my childhood is gone. I always loved when he came on the Tonight show and seeing him on commercials and Mr. Belvedere. He just seemed like someone I would have loved to spend time with and just listen to him talk and make me laugh. He just seemed like the nicest and funniest man. RIP Mr. Uecker.
One of the most essential and distinctive (and endearing) characteristics of Bob Uecker’s personality was his absolutely deadpan delivery. I believe one of the main reasons he was so funny is that he never telegraphed his humor. He never laughed at his own jokes. He was so deadpan that every hilarious line would catch you off-guard, making his humor that much more explosive. He seldom got chuckles, always wild, uncontainable laughter.
Thank you Joe for another one of your unique and affectionate and deeply affecting profiles.
I knew of Bob Uecker through Miller Lite, Mr. Belvedere, and Major Leagues many years ago. His comic persona. The advent of satellite radio allowed me to hear Ueck in his original as a baseball performer. I listened to him a few dozen times in the 2010s when I had a job that required a lot of travel. He was a pleasure: clearly loved the game and the players, didn't take himself or the game too seriously, but didn't forget the reason he was there.
With sadness I note all four of my Mount Rushmore broadcasters are now gone. Alphabetically they are Joe Garagiola, Dave Niehaus, Vin Scully and Bob Uecker. I grew up a.service brat, living all over the country. (SoCal, NorCal, Washington, San Diego, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Unlike most of you Niehaus was the long time primary announcer for my Mariners and filled that need most of you developed in childhood and that I did not acquire until early adulthood when I settled down in Washington. As different as they could be, the common threads were that a) they loved baseball unconditionally and b) they worked at their craft so they could tell you the stories of not only the home team, but the visitors as well. RIP guys. You earned it.
When I was in middle school I read Joe Garagiola’s autobiography. Ive read a lot of baseball biographies since then but Joe’s is probably the one I love the most. My favorite anecdote from that book is when he tells how after joining the big league he made enough money to go get his hair cut every two weeks. I don’t know why that has stuck with me all these years but it has. I’ve never made enough money to get my hair cut every 2 weeks.
I am a former high school catcher. My favorite Garagiola story is about how he and the other catchers would carry a baseball to the movies and sit in the back so they could toss the balls up and catch them to practice grabbing seams
This, Joe. This piece is the reason I read you. I dig all the baseball math stuff and Hall of Fame stuff and the farsical banter on the PosCast. But this piece, along with so many others like it--Hamilton, Taylor Swift, that toy store girl--pieces like these that evoke heart and love and tears and truth are what has been bringing me back for years. Thank you for being a shining light in my life. It was a joy to meet you once, and it is my great joy to read your work each day.
Simply marvelous. And if you’re adding a YouTube bit on some of your posts- especially obits- then I’m looking forward very much to your new YouTube channel.
This is a sad day for those of us who root for the Brewers. But I have to point this out, because making fun of Joe is always great:
Joe Posnanski: "I never think about the Brewers."
Joe Posnanski: writes piece about Bob Uecker.
Joe Posnanski: never once - somehow - uses the word "Brewers," in spite of the fact that Uecker worked for them for over 50 years.
Note: he DID use the word "Dodgers" in his Vin Scully piece he reposted the other day.
Note: he did, however, use the words: Cardinals, Giants, Orioles, Pirates, and Dodgers. In a piece about Bob Uecker. I see you, Joe. The Brewers fans ALL see you.
Interesting premise. Do you think he's intentionally trolling or unconsciously, the word Brewers doesn't pop into his brain? Seriously, though, he was a national treasure and the piece was written for all of us, and for those who were unaware or forgot which team he was involved with for the last 50 years, the Costas quotes provide the knowledge. There will be many things said and written in the Milwaukee market specifically for the extra bond Brewers fans had.
(To be clear, Joe did quote Bob Costas saying the word "Brewers" thrice. But those are quotes, so they don't count.
Also... kinda surprised there was no Miller Lite mention, which I think of as integral to the Uecker legend, in spite of the fact that I never saw one, as they predate me.)
What a great piece, Joe. Thank you.
I always remember him telling a story, probably on the Tonight Show, about a game when he was batting in the top of the ninth with two out and the tying run in scoring position. "I looked over in the other team's dugout. They were already in street clothes."
Surprised nobody mentioned his book. Catcher in the Wry. I read and re-read many baseball books growing up and Uecker’s was one of the best
Beautiful. Another piece of my childhood is gone. I always loved when he came on the Tonight show and seeing him on commercials and Mr. Belvedere. He just seemed like someone I would have loved to spend time with and just listen to him talk and make me laugh. He just seemed like the nicest and funniest man. RIP Mr. Uecker.
One of the most essential and distinctive (and endearing) characteristics of Bob Uecker’s personality was his absolutely deadpan delivery. I believe one of the main reasons he was so funny is that he never telegraphed his humor. He never laughed at his own jokes. He was so deadpan that every hilarious line would catch you off-guard, making his humor that much more explosive. He seldom got chuckles, always wild, uncontainable laughter.
Thank you Joe for another one of your unique and affectionate and deeply affecting profiles.
Wonderful tribute, Joe. Pitch perfect.
Very nice tribute!! Thank you.
That Cardinal team photo is priceless. I think it is the first time I’ve ever seen Gibson smile.
I knew of Bob Uecker through Miller Lite, Mr. Belvedere, and Major Leagues many years ago. His comic persona. The advent of satellite radio allowed me to hear Ueck in his original as a baseball performer. I listened to him a few dozen times in the 2010s when I had a job that required a lot of travel. He was a pleasure: clearly loved the game and the players, didn't take himself or the game too seriously, but didn't forget the reason he was there.
Ueck, was a hell of a guy. He will be missed
Good, but not enough. Please do more.
With sadness I note all four of my Mount Rushmore broadcasters are now gone. Alphabetically they are Joe Garagiola, Dave Niehaus, Vin Scully and Bob Uecker. I grew up a.service brat, living all over the country. (SoCal, NorCal, Washington, San Diego, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Unlike most of you Niehaus was the long time primary announcer for my Mariners and filled that need most of you developed in childhood and that I did not acquire until early adulthood when I settled down in Washington. As different as they could be, the common threads were that a) they loved baseball unconditionally and b) they worked at their craft so they could tell you the stories of not only the home team, but the visitors as well. RIP guys. You earned it.
Bob was goofy, Bob was good, Bob was genuine,,,
I'm surprised that there has been no mention of the similarity in the baseball lives of
Uecker and Joe Garagiola. They were both backup catchers who became broadcasters
after their retirement from baseball and later expanded their roles and achieved fame
well beyond what they accomplished within baseball. They were both humorists and
story tellers who got laughs from their self depreciating wit with respect to their very
modest baseball careers (While a below average hitter, Garagiola's .257 batting average over
nine years was far superior to Uecker's .200 batting average over six). Both appeared often
as guests and guest hosts on the Johnnie Carson late night show. Garagiola wrote a couple of
books and also co-hosted the Today morning show on NBC and many game or panel shows.
He frequently did commercials and some political endorsements. He was all over TV.
Uecker, as has been mentioned, made many appearances as an actor and was a co-star of the
situation comedy Mr. Belvedere which lasted six years. He also achieved fame for playing the
comedic play-by- play announcer Harry Doyle in the movie Major League and its two sequels. Maybe it is apropos that both died upon reaching age 90.
When I was in middle school I read Joe Garagiola’s autobiography. Ive read a lot of baseball biographies since then but Joe’s is probably the one I love the most. My favorite anecdote from that book is when he tells how after joining the big league he made enough money to go get his hair cut every two weeks. I don’t know why that has stuck with me all these years but it has. I’ve never made enough money to get my hair cut every 2 weeks.
I am a former high school catcher. My favorite Garagiola story is about how he and the other catchers would carry a baseball to the movies and sit in the back so they could toss the balls up and catch them to practice grabbing seams
This, Joe. This piece is the reason I read you. I dig all the baseball math stuff and Hall of Fame stuff and the farsical banter on the PosCast. But this piece, along with so many others like it--Hamilton, Taylor Swift, that toy store girl--pieces like these that evoke heart and love and tears and truth are what has been bringing me back for years. Thank you for being a shining light in my life. It was a joy to meet you once, and it is my great joy to read your work each day.
Yes! Thank you for posting what I was feeling. Have a great weekend.
Simply marvelous. And if you’re adding a YouTube bit on some of your posts- especially obits- then I’m looking forward very much to your new YouTube channel.
This is a sad day for those of us who root for the Brewers. But I have to point this out, because making fun of Joe is always great:
Joe Posnanski: "I never think about the Brewers."
Joe Posnanski: writes piece about Bob Uecker.
Joe Posnanski: never once - somehow - uses the word "Brewers," in spite of the fact that Uecker worked for them for over 50 years.
Note: he DID use the word "Dodgers" in his Vin Scully piece he reposted the other day.
Note: he did, however, use the words: Cardinals, Giants, Orioles, Pirates, and Dodgers. In a piece about Bob Uecker. I see you, Joe. The Brewers fans ALL see you.
Interesting premise. Do you think he's intentionally trolling or unconsciously, the word Brewers doesn't pop into his brain? Seriously, though, he was a national treasure and the piece was written for all of us, and for those who were unaware or forgot which team he was involved with for the last 50 years, the Costas quotes provide the knowledge. There will be many things said and written in the Milwaukee market specifically for the extra bond Brewers fans had.
(To be clear, Joe did quote Bob Costas saying the word "Brewers" thrice. But those are quotes, so they don't count.
Also... kinda surprised there was no Miller Lite mention, which I think of as integral to the Uecker legend, in spite of the fact that I never saw one, as they predate me.)
Joe didn't specifically mention Brewers but He did throw out the line about the front row, so he indirectly referenced those commercials.
I mean Miller Lite not Brewers
I think Joe and Mike talked about the Baseball Joy Hall of Fame a while back. Bob Uecker is a first-ballot Hall of Famer in that case