Milwaukee Brewers play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker sits in the dugout while players workout at American Family Field in Milwaukee on April 6, 2022. Mike De Sisti/The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Legendary Milwaukee Brewers Announcer Bob Uecker Dies at 90

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Jan 16, 2025 11:31 AM ET

Longtime Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker has died at the age of 90, the team announced Thursday morning.

Uecker had been calling Brewers games as a play-by-play announcer since 1971, eventually earning the nickname "Mr. Baseball" as his fame grew. He remained in the booth through the 2024 season, although he was feeling "under the weather" at the start of the playoffs.

The legendary broadcaster returned for Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series, only for the New York Mets to surge back and beat the Brewers 3-2. Uecker delivered an emotional sign-off that night, and he proceeded to go around the locker room consoling Milwaukee players after the defeat.

Unsurprisingly, the players turned right around and showered Uecker with praise, emphasizing his unmatched importance to the franchise as a whole.

Uecker never got to see the Brewers win a World Series, despite the team making the postseason in six of the last seven years with four NL Central titles in that span. Milwaukee is one of just two National League clubs not to win a championship in the last 55 seasons.

Still, Uecker left quite the mark in his hometown over the decades.

We are heartbroken to announce that Brewers icon & Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Uecker passed away today at the age of 90 pic.twitter.com/EJRBC8Cjj4
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 16, 2025

Uecker played pro ball himself, signing with the Milwaukee Braves after finishing his service in the Army in 1956. He made his MLB debut in 1962 and appeared in 46 games across two seasons.

From there, Uecker was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He won a World Series as the team's backup catcher in 1964 before getting dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of the 1965 campaign. He rejoined the Braves for 62 games in 1967, at which point they had relocated to Atlanta, before retiring shortly thereafter.

It took a few years, but Uecker found his way back to Milwaukee once the Brewers made the move from Seattle. He then strung together a 54-year continuous streak as a broadcaster with the club, which was the second-longest among active announcers prior to his death.

Uecker was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003, winning the Ford C. Frick Award as a broadcaster who had made major contributions to the sport.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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