ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: honoring the life and enduring legacy of Robert George Uecker.
Whereas, Robert George Uecker, better known as Bob Uecker, or “Mr. Baseball,” was born on January 26, 1934, and passed away on January 16, 2025, having reached the age of 90 with a 69-year career in professional baseball; and
Whereas, Uecker is succeeded in life by his children Sue Ann and Bob Jr. and his second wife, Judy, and, sadly, was preceded in death by his children Steve and Leann and his first wife, Joyce; and
Whereas, Uecker was the primary radio broadcaster for his hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers, and, having served in that role for 54 years, is one of the longest-tenured broadcasters with one team in the history of Major League Baseball; and
Whereas, Uecker’s engaging style as a broadcaster is unrivaled, bringing joy to fans, even during less successful Brewers seasons; and
Whereas, Uecker was famously dubbed “Mr. Baseball” by The Tonight Show host Johnny Carson and appeared over 100 times on the show; and
Whereas, to many, Uecker’s voice is known as “the soundtrack of Summer”; and
Whereas, Uecker was the son of August Uecker and Mary Schultz Uecker; and
Whereas, Uecker was born and raised in Milwaukee and grew up watching the minor league Milwaukee Brewers at Borchert Field; and
Whereas, in 1954 Uecker enlisted in the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of corporal; and
Whereas, during his service to our nation, Uecker played baseball at Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Belvoir; and
Whereas, following his service, Uecker signed with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 as a minor league player; and
Whereas, in his first season in the minor league, Uecker played with the Eau Claire Bears of the Northern League and the Boise Braves of the Pioneer League; and
Whereas, Uecker made his major league debut as a catcher in 1962; and
Whereas, prior to the 1964 season, the Milwaukee Braves traded Uecker to the St. Louis Cardinals—the Cardinals won the World Series that season, defeating the New York Yankees; and
Whereas, Uecker also played for the Philadelphia Phillies before being traded back to the Braves in 1967, which had moved to Atlanta since Uecker had last played for the team; and
Whereas, in 1967, Uecker retired from professional baseball while playing for the Atlanta Braves, completing his career as a catcher with a fielding percentage of .981 and a batting average of .200; and
Whereas, following his career as a player, Uecker began broadcasting, starting with WSB-TV in Atlanta, and subsequently calling play-by-play for the Milwaukee Brewers’ radio broadcasts beginning in 1971; and
Whereas, Uecker’s humor propelled him to great success as a broadcaster, actor, and author, with endeavors in and out of baseball, including several television programs, such as Bob Uecker’s Whacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker’s War of the Stars, and several books, such as an autobiography titled Catcher in the Wry and a baseball memoir and commentary titled Catch .222; and
Whereas, Uecker was also a talented actor, starring as George Owens in the sitcom Mr. Belvedere, which originally aired from 1985 to 1990, and playing Harry Doyle in the film Major League, in which he delivered the famous line “Just a bit outside!”; Uecker also made cameo and in-person appearances in productions such as The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live; and
Whereas, Uecker also appeared in a series of famous Miller Lite commercials during the 1980s, which became the source for one of his wittiest catchphrases—“I must be in the front row”—and inspired the term “Uecker seats” to describe upper-deck, obstructed-view seats in baseball stadiums; and
Whereas, Uecker’s talent is widely recognized and honored with many awards: he was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998; he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001; he was honored by the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. Frick Award, presented to broadcasters for major contributions to baseball, in 2003; he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2011; and he was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2012; and
Whereas, as the “Voice of the Milwaukee Brewers,” Uecker is memorialized with two statues on the grounds of American Family Field: one statue was dedicated in 2012 and sits outside the stadium alongside fellow Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, and Bud Selig; and the other sits in the last row of the “Uecker Seats” on the terrace level of the stadium; and
Whereas, Uecker’s name can also be found in the inaugural class of the Brewers Wall of Honor and was added to the Brewers Walk of Fame in 2003; and
Whereas, the Brewers plan to hold celebrations of Uecker’s life later this year and have announced plans to create a “Uecker Experience” at American Family Field; and
Whereas, Uecker demonstrated a steadfast commitment to philanthropy, being known to distribute food and other goods to individuals in need and support organizations such as the ALS Association, the Make a Wish Foundation, the United Performing Arts Fund, the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Wounded Warriors, in addition to advocating for cystic fibrosis and heart disease research; and
Whereas, Bob Uecker’s unparalleled dedication to baseball, broadcasting, entertainment, and his community enriched the lives of countless fans in Wisconsin and beyond; and
Whereas, Bob Uecker will be sorely missed and enduringly remembered by fans the world over; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin Legislature honor the life and enduring legacy of Bob Uecker, recognize his extraordinary contributions to baseball, broadcasting, entertainment, and philanthropy, and extend their deepest condolences to his family, friends, and countless admirers. Get up! Get up! Get outta here! Gone!
Representative Robin J. Vos
Speaker of the Assembly
Senator Mary Felzkowski
President of the Senate
Richard A. Champagne
Acting Senate Chief Clerk
