Lost Ballparks

Remembering Bob Uecker

• Mike Koser • Season 8 • Episode 7

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Bob Uecker was more than just a baseball legend—he was a cultural icon, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, and one of the most beloved personalities in sports history. In this special tribute episode, MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Paul Molitor share their favorite Ueck stories. From his playing days to the broadcast booth, and of course, his unforgettable moments in pop culture, this is a celebration of “Mr. Baseball”.

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Bob Uecker:

I uh did not have a lot of ability as a kid. My dad wanted me to have everything that everybody else had. I think the first thing that he ever bought me was a football. And I was very young, and uh he didn't know a lot about it. He came from the old country. And uh I mean we tried to pass it and throw it and kick it, and we couldn't do it, and it was very discouraging for him and for me. And uh almost we almost quit, and and finally we had a a nice enough neighbor came over and put some air in it. And what a what a difference...

Mike Koser:

that was Bob Uecker's 2003 Hall of Fame speech. He was the Ford C Frick Award winner that year uh and is in the broadcast wing of the Hall of Fame. Hi, I'm Mike Koser, and welcome to Lost ball parks. Today we're remembering one of the most beloved figures in baseball history. Bob Uecker spent six seasons in the big leagues, primarily as a backup catcher from 1962 to 1967. A career .200 hitter. "Ueck" once joked that the highlight of his playing career was getting a walk with the bases loaded, to drive-in-the-winning run, in an inter-squad game during spring training. While his time as a player was brief, his career in the broadcast booth spanned more than five decades. For over 50 years, his voice became synonymous with Milwaukee Brewers baseball. Bob Uecker's impact went far beyond the booth. He was a Hall of Fame personality, a master storyteller, and a comedic genius who made over a hundred appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. He starred in his own television series, brought the unforgettable Harry Doyle to life in the Major League films,

Movie Clip:

Vaugh into the windup and his first offering. Juuust a bit outside...

Mike Koser:

And was the face of countless Miller Light commercials.

Bob Uecker:

You know, one of the best things about being the ex big leaguer is getting freebies to the game. Call the front office, bingo. And once these fans recognize me, I probably won't even have to pay for my lite beer from miller. I love them. These fans know I drink lite because it's less filling, and it tastes great. Good seats, huh? (You're in the wrong seat buddy, c'mon) Oh, I must be in the front row.

Mike Koser:

For so many of us, Uecker wasn't just a voice. He was a connection to the game and a reason that baseball felt like home. It's why his passing is felt so profoundly. Today, as we honor his incredible life and career, we'll hear stories and memories from those who knew him best. Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Paul Molitor, and Ted Simmons will join us, along with MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian. As we look back on Bob Uecker's remarkable journey, let's take a minute to laugh and reminisce and honor the legacy of the one and only Mr. Baseball. Welcome to Lost Ball Parks. MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian began his big league broadcast career in Milwaukee in 1997. In fact, he was in the TV booth at County Stadium, which was just a couple of slots over from the radio booth where Bob Uecker called games. And uh Matt joins us now. Hey Matt.

Matt Vasgersian:

Hey Mike.

Mike Koser:

Thanks for doing this, man. I appreciate it.

Matt Vasgersian:

My pleasure. I love your um your posts. Your uh your feeds are great. I I'm not a huge social media guy. Yours is one of my favorites, so thanks for what you do.

Mike Koser:

Thanks, man. I appreciate that. Yeah, so listen, we'll we'll jump into it if you if you're ready. Sure. Yeah, let's do it.

Bob Uecker:

In 1996, you're calling games for the Tucson Toros at uh old High Corbett Field, and the TV play-by-play spot becomes available for the Milwaukee Brewers. Tell me about the moment that you find out that you're getting the job.

Matt Vasgersian:

Wow, I remember vividly. Uh I was living in a small apartment uh up in Tanque Verde with um one of the one of the other guys that worked for the Toros, and um I I guess the the backstory to that moment is that I had auditioned for the radio spot the previous year, um a job that went to Jim Powell, and it was between he and I. And there was a guy who was a director of broadcasting for the Brewers who'd been there a long, long time, a really wise gentleman by the name of Bill Haig, who decided that uh maybe Jim was better suited for that radio spot, and I was super disappointed, of course, because that was the chair next to Uecker. It's the it's the number two gig, so you'd be with Bob all game long and traveling with Bob and a part of the radio uh attached. And at the time, uh it wasn't that long ago, but radio was just a bigger medium then. Um as we know, it was a much bigger medium uh prior to that. But radio still was was a very, very significant component of a team's profile, and I was super disappointed not to get that gig. So fast forward to the time date stamp you're talking about. A year later, the TV gig opens up. There were some other guys who were involved in that, and um they were world more experienced than I was, and fortunately the financial parameters of that job uh almost made it impossible for a guy who was already established to take that gig. So it I it was perfect place, perfect time for me. First call I made was to my dad, who's been super supportive of my minor league career and spent six years working in the minors, and yeah, I remember it pretty well. And among the things I was most excited about, the Brewers had a double-A team in El Paso, Texas, that I had worked in for two years. And they were my most fond years in the miners. So there were a lot of guys that played in El Paso in the early 90s that were now in big league Milwaukee, and I had some some built-in friends, some built-in relationships. In fact, one of whom actually went to bat for me with the front office when he heard I was up for the job. So it was a perfect place to start my career.

Mike Koser:

Yeah, so spring training 1997, you're in the I think the lunchroom at the Compadre stadium complex in Chandler, Arizona. When you meet "Ueck" for the first time, tell me about that experience for you.

Matt Vasgersian:

Well, it wasn't, it didn't go as I wanted it to. Um yeah, you know, when you meet somebody, you're you're anticipating meeting this person so much. And I had been, as we all were, such a fan of Bob's and and so kind of in awe of him. I was excited, I was apprehensive, I was all those things. And one of the things I had in my mind was I can't give this guy anything but a really good firm handshake when I meet him. Because you know, what sometimes when you meet somebody for the first time and you don't try to, but your thumbs don't lock on the handshake and it comes off a little dead fishy, and then you have to you have to go back in, and it's just awkward, weird. So I had in my mind, meet Bob, firm handshake, get the thumbs locked. Well, nobody had told me when I gave him that rigorous handshake in the lunchroom at spring training that the day before he had laid down his motorcycle and he broke bones in his hand.

Mike Koser:

Oh no.

Matt Vasgersian:

And I give him this firm uh, you know, uh, to quote uh blazing saddles, Laurel and Hardy handshake, and I see his eyes narrow and he winces. He didn't want to let on that I had, you know, given him a little stinger. That's how I met Bob. I I I don't think he held it against me. I'm not sure, but I I don't think he did, and I I never apologized for it because it was so awkward. Probably one of those things I should have circled back on with him at some point.

Mike Koser:

That year, by the way, the Brewers faced the Texas Rangers in the home opener at County Stadium. I want you to walk me through your trip to the press box at County Stadium that first game. The catwalks would take you across to the mezzanine diamond box broadcast level at County Stadium. Is that right? Like you were a hundred feet above the lower bowl.

Matt Vasgersian:

Yeah, man. Uh those at the at the time, those were not very great days. It's super cold, sparsely attended. Um you know, you're you there was no it was one functioning elevator in the entire building, and it was way down in the corner, and it really wasn't used for access to the press box. So we'd walk up the ramps and across the catwalk, as you as you mentioned. I remember getting off the bus from spring training because I had spent the entire month essentially in Arizona trying to get to know the players and really, you know, immersing myself in the culture of what I was about to uh undertake. And I remember Cal Eldred, uh, who was one of their just kind of senior starters at the time, turning around, and I forget who he was talking to, but he said, um, we just went from 89 degrees and warm to this. Any question why it blew out? Because he had hurt his elbow the year before. And I thought, wow, that what an what a kind of line that is preparing me for these Arctic spring days in Milwaukee. That was the only thing I really remember was how doggone cold it was and how old that ballpark was at the time. It was in its final years. Uh I I actually consider myself lucky to have spent most of my time as a brewers broadcaster at County Stadium. As much as Miller Park and now American Family Field is a great spot. It really is one of the best places in the big leagues. There was something about that old broken down bucket of bolts that um was endearing, and I almost feel like you you've kind of earned your stripes having endured it for a while.

Mike Koser:

I went back and looked at that home opener. It was 39 degrees at game time. And didn't a water main break that day of all things?

Matt Vasgersian:

Man, you're on it. You're on it, man. Yes, it did. There was a huge water main that broke over it. The water main in question here was under the second deck. So people that were uh unfortunate enough to have been seated, and I think it was down the third baseline in that one or two section area, they got you know completely soaked with frigid water on a frigid day, and I'm not sure anybody was sober enough to even realize it. So it I think it worked out fine.

Mike Koser:

You get to the booth, and now now is is Uecker's booth, was it right next to the TV booth, the radio booth?

Matt Vasgersian:

There was kind of a little uh like a little flight of stairs. They were, you know, you it kind of went up and down a little bit, but it was on the same level, so it was certainly adjacent enough. Uh the booth to our left in the TV booth in the county stadium was visiting radio.

Mike Koser:

Okay.

Matt Vasgersian:

And then Uecker and his team were on the other side of them, so we were separated by one booth.

Mike Koser:

Yeah. So you gotta start your big league broadcast career close to the shadow of one of the all-time greats.

Matt Vasgersian:

Yeah, and you know, you you knew it was Bob it was Bob's town, it was Bob's team. There there were two covered parking spots underneath the stadium, at county stadium, two. And it wasn't they didn't go to Sal Bando, the GM, Phil Garner, the manager, didn't get one, it was Bud Selig and "Ueck". And and you know, he was bigger than life there until the very end. All three I mean, you just always were aware that it was "Ueck's" world. And um anybody who was a young guy like me, it was a kind of a slippery slope. You're you know, you want to have fun, you want to do the games, you the way you want to do them. But I was it was always in the back of my mind not to be perceived like I was trying to come in and and poach someone else's territory. It was a completely different medium. I was doing TV, so that made it easier. Uh, but it was it it was Bob's kingdom till the end, man. And it it I don't think it'll ever be anybody else's the same way it was his.

Mike Koser:

The Brewers, Matt, played their final game at County Stadium on September 28th, 2000.

PA Announcer County Stadium:

Tonight we write the final verse in the final chapter. What better way to complete County Stadium saga than with the legend who made it famous? Today, we are privileged to have Bob lead us in saying goodbye to this old ballpark.

Bob Uecker:

Folks, I don't have to tell you how honored I am to be with you and to address you on this momentous occasion. This ballpark has been home to me for most of my life. And just like you, it has a special place in my heart.

Mike Koser:

That ballpark deeply tied to Bob's life, his entire life and career, from pitching in the local sandlot leagues and throwing for the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium, some of the scouts there in the early 1950s, to making his major league debut in 62 and beginning his Hall of Fame broadcast career in uh 71. His connection to that ballpark spanned decades, and by 2000, he'd spent 30 years calling Brewers games at County Stadium. So on that, on that final day, September 28th, 2000, did you sense uh that saying goodbye to that old ballpark was emotional for him?

Matt Vasgersian:

I think it had to have been. Um he never really let on, to be honest. Not not to me, uh you know, maybe to somebody privately. Uh I think Bob, like everybody else who had been there essentially since the beginning, was so ready for Miller Park. Uh the culture there, the fan base there, the appetite had grown to the degree that you know it was delayed by two years after the crane accident. Uh actually, there I believe there were three individuals who lost their lives in a construction accident. And Miller Park opened as a result two years later than the anticipated date. So by the time they closed County Stadium, yes, there was a lot of sadness and fondness for County Stadium meeting the wrecking ball shortly. But there was also such anticipation to move into the new place. I think Bob shared in that. So any melancholy he may have felt um it was put away. But it was a super cool ceremony, in fact, I think, of anything I've done in broadcasting. Um that was the coolest thing I've ever been a part of to host the uh TV coverage of the final closing ceremony when they brought back a bunch of old great packers and brewers, and Robin Yount came out in a motorcycle and actually dug up home plate and took it away. It was super cool to be a part of that.

Robin Yount:

County Stadium has served us and many others as our home ballpark. Don't ever forget where it all started.

Mike Koser:

Matt, you knew Bob for almost 30 years. What do you have a uh a favorite story you like to share about him?

Matt Vasgersian:

Man, a lot of them are blue.

Mike Koser:

That are unshareable that you need to take to your grave, right?

Matt Vasgersian:

Yeah, he just, I mean, it wasn't always. And I think that's part of uh the pathos of anybody with Bob's gift. They're not always on. And sometimes there's a little burden for people that are that gifted and that funny to always be in entertain me mode. And you know, he's a person like the rest of us. Not every day was the best day where he just wanted to regale you with stories, but man, when he did, uh they were among the greatest stories that you've ever heard. Um, and I can kind of give you the cliff notes on a couple of them. I guess there was one famous episode with Hank Aaron when he was uh at the peak of his powers, and I guess uh there were a bunch of guys after a game that decided to have a party in a suite. Hank ended up hurt, unable to play for a week, not because he injured himself on the field as was reported, but because um he had such a good time the night before, and I guess there were a bunch of guys goofing around with beers in a bathtub, and Hank slipped and pinged himself up. Um again, like so many of the best Bob stories are blue. He had a great story at one point about uh a give and take between Ken Boyer and Don Drysdale. I guess they were both they were both great pranksters, and the level that each one of them took to one up the next guy over the course of a year when the series was in St. Louis and the series was in LA. And I think since they still have uh kids and family members who walk among us, I'll keep the actual story to myself. But Bob was a master raconteur. The richness of his life, and I'll I'll credit my friend and colleague uh Brian Anderson, who's the current TV voice of the Brewers, who's really a talented guy and a great guy. Um, and he said, you know, between all of our date of birth and our expiration date, there's a dash listed between those years. Bob's dash was filled with more than any of us could ever imagine. What a life this guy, this guy had. Yeah.

Mike Koser:

Yeah, well said. Hey, listen, Matt, I appreciate the time today. I'd love to have you back on down the road to talk about some of the great minor league ballparks that you broadcast from, like St. Cloud Commons and High Corbett, MacArthur Stadium in Syracuse. There's just a collection of great old ballparks that were not only your home ballparks, but then also um ones that you went to on the road that um, you know, I mean, especially St. Cloud Commons, that one to me just feels like it's right in the middle of a forest, you know, in Huntington, West Virginia.

Matt Vasgersian:

Yep. We tiled the press box there. I mean, that I'm telling you, anytime, Mike, because those are those are among the things I love talking about the most in my fondest time in in baseball. I'll look back on on the six years in in the minors. Didn't feel that way at the time, but looking back, uh, I'm so glad I had those experiences. So uh anytime, man.

Mike Koser:

Right on. Yeah, we'll connect down the road. I appreciate it. Thank you, man.

Matt Vasgersian:

All right, Mike. Thanks.

Bob Uecker:

Game audio.

Mike Koser:

That was 1981 Bob Ueckar on the call at County Stadium as that year's Cy Young Award winner and MVP Rollie Fingers closed out the Tigers to propel the Brewers into their first postseason in franchise history. Rollie along with Ted Simmons and Paul Molitor, all sent me messages uh sharing their favorite memories of "Ueck" that I want to share with you now. Here is seven-time All-Star, three-time world champion, and Hall of Famer, Rollie Fingers.

Rollie Fingers:

Hey, Mike. Uh, this is Rollie Fingers. Uh certainly uh a sad day in Milwaukee, and for all the baseball that he passed away. I mean, he was one of the uh funniest, funniest guys in baseball. Uh I've known him for about 40, 45 years, and uh there's never a dull moment when you were around Bob. Uh, even if you just looked at him, you started laughing because you knew he was gonna say something funny. He uh had a Hall of Fame speech as one of the things that uh it was like a 20-minute uh stand-up comic routine.

Bob Uecker:

I signed a very modest $3,000 bonus with the Braves in Milwaukee, which I'm sure a lot of you know, and my old man didn't have that kind of money to put out. But the Braves took it.

Rollie Fingers:

Uh he had probably 50, 55 Hall of Famers behind him, and uh we laughed for 20 minutes.

Bob Uecker:

During every player's career, there comes a time when you know that your services are no longer required, that you might be moving on, traded, sold, released, whatever it may be. And having been with four clubs, I picked up a few of these tips. I remember Gene Mauch doing things to me at Philadelphia. I'd be sitting there and he'd say, uh, grab a bat and stop this rally.

Rollie Fingers:

Uh he's a piece of work, and he's uh gonna certainly be missed. But one story that I can tell you I used to go down the bullpen all the time, and I'd always take a radio with me, and I had an earphone on it. So I'd always listen to the games and broadcast uh just uh just to see uh how he was doing, calling the game, and also get scores of other games that uh that were in progress.

Bob Uecker:

Detroit leads Seattle five to three in the sixth. Toronto and California tied two in the fifth inning. Cleveland two Oakland one after eight.

Rollie Fingers:

He knew that I had a radio down there, and he knew that I listened to it. So uh there was a couple of balls, a couple of times where I'm I'm listening to the game, and uh he would actually say, Rollie, I know you're listening, you better get up.

Bob Uecker:

The Brewers 1-0 lead is in jeopardy.

Rollie Fingers:

He's been around the game well, so he knew that when uh when the game was coming to me, so he would and I'd always give him uh I'd give him a wave from the bullpen and he'd see me, but uh he would do that over the air, and uh you could because he knew that I was listening. But um he is gonna be certainly missed uh uh in Milwaukee, and certainly, like I said before, all of baseball. Uh he was a great ambassador for the game, and he's one of those guys that uh uh broadcasters uh usually some of them not not a lot of them, but uh uh quite a few have uh never played the game. I mean uh Vin Scully and uh Mel Allen, uh Bob Costas and uh Al Michaels uh they never they never played the game, but they're great announcers. But he knew what was going on on the field because he played for six years. So uh he had a pretty good idea when uh certain things were gonna maybe happen, if there's gonna be a sacrifice or an intentional walk or how to pitch a guy or if they're gonna move a guy over. He knew all that stuff. But uh he was a good friend of mine for years, and uh he's gonna be sorely missed by uh by everyone.

Bob Uecker:

Hi, I'm Bob Uecker, and I'm really excited about the 1981 baseball season. Lauren Brown is with me again to bring you all the action. But this year we have a new home. The new brew crew at Radio 11 WISN will bring you the best brewer coverage on the largest network of stations ever.

Mike Koser:

That was Ueck doing a promo for the 1981 season. 81 was the first year Ted Simmons was behind the plate for Milwaukee. He played with the ball club from 81 to 85. "Simba" was an eight-time All-Star, a member of the Cardinals Hall of Fame, the Brewers Wall of Honor, and a 2020 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here's Ted Simmons.

Ted Simmons:

Hey, Mike, not only in the city of Milwaukee was he a monument and institution, but he was also that very same thing nationally. He was uh absolutely huge and bigger than life. He spent more time on the uh Johnny Carson show than anybody else. He had an open invitation to go on his show anytime he wanted to. So when you think in terms of uh uh Uecker and his uh connection with the Milwaukee Brewers and the city of Milwaukee, you have to expand that just exponentially because he was bigger than life all over America. And as I say, his humor was unique, uh very special, dry as a bone, and you couldn't help but but uh just listen up every time he began one of his stories in one form or another. But I had been most of my career in St. Louis and then came to Milwaukee, and of course I'd seen him on TV on various uh occasions and saw what he was like. But when I got there as a player, he was doing the games every night, and you'd run into him pre-game or maybe post-game occasionally if you did something special that night, and you'd see him most every day, but you didn't really get to hear his broadcasts because when you're in a clubhouse, the game's not on. And so the only time any of the players really got to hear him in his full bore mode, so to speak, was during rain outs.

Bob Uecker:

Now the ground crew doing a little work around the mound area and the homeland area. Rain slackened off a bit now. Very, very light shower, falling.

Ted Simmons:

When the game was on, he was up there broadcasting away, but we're out there on the field playing day in and day out, and so we don't really hear the play-by-play, or his color, or his commentary. So, how did we get to know what he was like over the air? Well, every time it rained.

Bob Uecker:

These two ball players went duck hunting. They were out in the marshes for over an hour. They didn't get anything, didn't shoot anything. Finally, one says to the other, I wonder why we haven't got any duck. The other one says, Maybe we're not throwing the dog up high enough.

Ted Simmons:

When there was a rain delay, ball players would go off the field into the clubhouse, and depending on how long that rain delay lasted, you'd sit there in the clubhouse and you'd hear him just chirping away. That was fun. I remember that. He'd start up with a standard story. I'll tell you what. And he'd have you captivated. You'd be sitting there thinking about the game, and he'd say, You know that Robin, yeah. I know you've known for a long, long time, and it's been one of the uh big stars. And Rollie Fingers? Well, I ran into him the other night, and you wouldn't believe what he told me. And off he'd go. And Robin on the other side of the clubhouse would say, Oh, he'd start to talk about me. And fingers would say, Oh, anything but anything. Please, please don't say that. And we'd all start laughing and laughing at Robin or Rollie or Gorman, and all of a sudden you'd find yourself laughing at him, and they turn to you and say, What if he starts up on you, man? It's just a matter of time before he's gonna get after you too. Uecker was very, very special to all that group back in '82 where we had such a fine team. It was like he was part of that team. It was like he was still playing, because he was on that clubhouse every day, uh, and he was on that field pre-game batting practice every day. And I mean, it was like he was still in uniform. He was just one of those. We're all gonna miss him. Milwaukee's gonna miss him more than anybody. Because he was Mr. Milwaukee. It's a shame he's he's passed. Great human. Bigger than life. See on the other side, Ueck take care, man. And Mike, thanks for reaching out.

Bob Uecker:

The Milwaukee Brewers began the 1982 season with high hopes. And right from opening day, the fans came in record numbers to enjoy the fun both inside the stadium and out. 1981 had given birth to the Brewers' first postseason appearance, so Brewer fans were happy to be part of what was to become the most successful season in Milwaukee Brewer history.

Mike Koser:

And a big reason for the team's success that year and many others was Paul Molitor. Molitor played for the Brewers from 1978 to 1992. He was a seven-time All-Star, a World Champion, a World Series MVP, a member of the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor, and the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here's Paul Molitor.

Paul Molitor:

Yeah, hey there, Mike. This is Paul Molitorr. Um appreciate the correspondence. Obviously, uh we lost a legend uh last week with Ueck's passing. A couple of quick things. Um it was a highlight for me that Ueck liked to be on the field when I was playing for the Brewers. He was an outstanding batting practice pitcher, and it seemed like the majority of times that he threw, it was to the first three hitters in the order, which would have been myself, Robin Yount, and Cecil Cooper. And uh most days we got our work in, and sometimes we were laughing too hard to get anything useful done. But always we'll remember those times. Uh the second thing I'll share is that I must have been on the disabled list, but I was up in the clubhouse listening to uh the broadcast uh that came through the speakers in the clubhouse, and we were playing Texas, and they had a player by the name of Oda bibe. McDowell. And the game wasn't particularly entertaining, so you decided to go off and do a tangent of imagining what McDowell's family members, siblings more specifically, and what their names might have been. So it was "coulda be" and "should have be" and "wanna be". Um we just went down the list and he kind of kept that storyline going over the course of a couple innings, just true brilliant. And the last thing I'll share is that when I left for Toronto, they had a surprise going away party for me in Milwaukee. And one of the highlights of that night was Bob Uecker and Robin Yount portraying the Mackenzie brothers. There was a skit out of Second City TV in Canada. I think Rick Moranis was one of the characters, but As dry as could be. They had a little banter, a lot of Canadian slang, including called me a future hoser. But it was classic. And I'll never forget it. So hope that helps a little bit. And uh take care, Mike.

Mike Koser:

I appreciate that message, Paul. And honestly, we could fill an entire season of this podcast with Bob Uecker stories. There will never be another like him. And um, you know, I'm just grateful that we got to witness his brilliance firsthand, that uh we were alive at the same time. And for all the self-deprecating jokes about his playing days, I mean let's not forget that he was uh a pretty solid defensive catcher with a lifetime 981 fielding percentage. He was also a member of the 1964 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. And while he only hit 14 home runs in the big leagues during his six-year career, three of them came off Hall of Famers: Sandy Koufax, Fergie Jenkins, and Gaylord Perry. Not bad for a guy who always claimed that he made his living in the front row.

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Mike Koser

Host