On Thursday, Milwaukee, and all of baseball, lost an icon in the great Bob Uecker. For some, he was a player-turned-announcer. Others may remember only his best calls and being the voice of Brewers baseball for their whole lives. For others still, Uecker was beyond the game. He was a personality in the truest sense of the word, breaking into appearances in movies, television, commercials and more. While yes, we will always remember Bob Uecker as the voice of Brewers baseball, here’s eight times that Ueck made his big personality shine with his impeccable comedic timing:
1. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
Uecker was a regular on The “Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” with more than 100 recorded segments with the king of late night. Mr. Baseball could throw comedic jabs with the best of them, and most often, himself. Here’s a great moment from 1976:
2. Harry Doyle in “Major League”
Anyone who knows about Uecker’s acting career likely brings up 1989’s “Major League,” where he played announcer Harry Doyle. The film was partially shot at Milwaukee County Stadium, as seen here, and I’m sure everyone at some point references a pitch being “juuuuust a bit outside.”
3. His run-in with Andre the Giant
Uecker’s celebrity propelled him to the star-studded days of the early Wrestlemanias, and in 1988, at Wrestlemania IV, he learned not to mess with the larger-than-life Andre The Giant.
4. His Miller Lite ads, and the dawn of “Uecker Seats”
Uecker worked as a pitchman for Miller Lite, and throughout the 1980s would appear in a number of TV ads. None of which, however, compare to the infamous “Front Row” ad, in which an usher lets him know that he’s in the wrong seat. And thus, the “Uecker Seats” were born.
5. Who’s The Boss
On the heels of the Miller Lite ad, Uecker made an appearance on “Who’s The Boss” in 1986. Once again, he "must be in the front row":
6. Milwaukee Admirals commercials
Uecker’s brilliant comedic timing wasn’t limited to Miller Lite, however. He appeared in a number of ads for the Milwaukee Admirals as well, most often in a wonderful back-and-forth with the Pettit family. While the Pettits would often play the straightmen, Uecker could let loose as the “world famous celebrity” that the team needed in the early days of the Bradley Center.
7. "Mr. Belvedere"
Uecker would also have a regular role on “Mr. Belvedere,” appearing in 118 episodes of the show as George Owens from 1985 to 1990. Here’s a great showing of his acting chops:
8. Uecker’s cameo on “Futurama”
Uecker could play George Owens, but would later on play himself in an episode of “Futurama” this time calling blernsball for the 3002 New York Mets. We could only hope to be so lucky:
Of course, Uecker would do all of those things only to return to Milwaukee, calling baseball for the Brewers, and being the soundtrack to our summers. We’ll miss Bob Uecker forever, but his memory will certainly live on beyond the ballpark.
