{image1}Johnny Logan and Bob Uecker will be honored at Miller Park this weekend. Both have been part of Milwaukee baseball history and deserve the honors.

Logan will be cited as part of the Turn Back The Clock celebration on Friday night before the Brewers take on the Atlanta Braves. Other former Milwaukee Braves also will be cited. Uecker will be honored for his 50 years in baseball on Saturday night.

This writer has been privileged to get to know both Logan and Ueck personally during my own 26-plus years of covering the Brewers. Both have remained loyal to Milwaukee when they could have gone anywhere.

As a kid, I first watched Logan when he was a scrappy shortstop for the Milwaukee Braves. He played next to my boyhood hero, third baseman Eddie Mathews.

Logan has said he started the fights because he knew Mathews was next to him to end them with one punch. Both played during an era when players played and partied hard. Johnny was a leader in both.

After his playing days, Logan remained in Milwaukee and spent time as a broadcaster, ran for sheriff and was engaged in a variety of other endeavors in and out of baseball. He's scouted for the Brewers, primarily in the state, for quite a few years and knows the talent here. He was one of the founders of the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association.

Johnny has been a fixture in the Brewers' media lunchroom both in County Stadium and Miller Park. When he and other scouts get telling stories, you're smart to listen because you'll pick up a lot of inside baseball and great lore (some of which cannot be related here).

Of course, Uecker started as a player on the Milwaukee sandlots and made it to the majors as a backup catcher and clubhouse jokester. He parlayed the second into a career in comedy, but has remained in baseball as a Hall of Fame announcer.

Uecker could have moved to Hollywood or anywhere at the peak of his showbiz career, but he stayed right here in Milwaukee. "This is home," he once told me. "I see no reason to go elsewhere."

What many people don't know is that Uecker donates a lot of time to promote Wisconsin tourism and to help in other community projects. He spends much of his summers on Lake Michigan in a great boat and really understands some of the environmental challenges faced by those who care about the lake.

When my own late father was suffering from an aneurysm, Uecker, who had his own bout with a similar ailment, went out of his way to sign a get-well card and write a personal note of encouragement. Dad proudly displayed it until his passing a couple years later.

Uecker, of course, is taking his honor with great seriousness. "Fifty years flies by when you have fun and love what you do," said Uecker. "I am extremely fortunate to have been in baseball for my entire adult life and I look forward to celebrating my 100th year in professional baseball in 2055."

The future of Milwaukee baseball belongs to Rickie Weeks, Bill Hall, J.J. Hardy, Prince Fielder, Corey Hart and other young, upcoming players.

But, Logan and Uecker have helped shape Milwaukee baseball to this point in history. Both are characters in their own ways. Baseball needs more such characters. This writer will be there both nights to take in the well-deserved festivities.

Brewers' Player of the Week

Chris Capuano won his 13th and 14th game of the season during the week to earn the honor. He shut out the Rockies and drove in the only runs of the game in a 2-0 win in Colorado. He dominated the Marlins for a win Tuesday night and picked off his major league leading 11th runner of the season.

Hot Tix

Game times for the Brewers and Braves series are 7:05 p.m. Friday, 6:05 p.m. Saturday and 1:05 p.m. Sunday. Miller Park crowds have become notoriously late arriving, but if you're late Friday or Saturday you'll miss the festivities for Logan and Uecker.

The Logan ceremony starts at 4 p.m. and will be held by the Braves Memorial (Field Level concourse between home plate and third base). Jim Powell is the event emcee.

A photo and plaque in Johnny's honor will be unveiled. The event is open to the public. A pre-game ceremony also will be held. Hot dogs and sodas will be available for $1 as part of the "Turn Back" promotion.

On Sunday, the Society for American Baseball Research and the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association will have a table at Miller Park. If you're a serious baseball fan, check these two organizations out.

Before playing the Braves, the Brewers will wrap up a series against the Marlins with a 1:05 p.m. game Thursday.

Turning to football, the Packers host the Patriots in a pre-season NFL game at 7 p.m. Friday at Lambeau Field.

In NAFL action, the Marauders and Racine Raiders clash in an intra-state rivalry at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hart Park.

If you prefer Aussie Rules football, you can watch the Bombers take on Cincinnati Sunday. The Bombers Web site is milwaukeebombers.com.

Wave United was scheduled to play the Latino All Stars on Wednesday night of this week. WU's last game of the season is Sept. 10 against the Chicago Fire.

If you're a hockey fan, the Admirals released their exhibition schedule this week. The Ads open exhibition play on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. versus the Grand Rapids Griffins at the Mullett Ice Center in Hartland.

The Chicago Wolves come to Milwaukee on Saturday, Oct. 1 for the first game of a home-and-home series between the two clubs. The contest will be held at the Kern Center on the campus of the Milwaukee School of Engineering at 7 p.m.

The Admirals final exhibition game before the start of the 2005-'06 season will be on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. at the Hoffman Estates Park District Community Center and Ice Arena. The Admirals begin the 2005-'06 regular season on Oct. 8 at Grand Rapids. The home opener will take place on Friday, Oct. 14 at the Bradley Center versus the Manitoba Moose.