
Legendary Major League Baseball radio broadcaster Bob Uecker passed away on Thursday at age 90. News of his death was announced by the Milwaukee Brewers, for whom Uecker spent 54 years in the broadcast booth. He had battled lung cancer since 2023.
Uecker’s baseball career began as a player in 1962 with the Milwaukee Braves and he would win a World Series ring with the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring as a player, Uecker transitioned to broadcasting for Milwaukee. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001, the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 as a Ford C. Frick Award winner, and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also honored with a statue at American Family Field.
In pop culture, he was dubbed “Mr. Baseball” by Johnny Carson and was in the Major League film franchise.
The Brewers said, “Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss. He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends.”
“Saying goodbye to Bob shakes us all. He was so much more than a Milwaukee Brewers icon. He was a national treasure. Bob entertained us with his words and storytelling, so it is no surprise that his passing now leaves us at a loss for our own words.”
In that statement, Uecker’s family added, “To many, he was an announcer and entertainer whose humor and voice transcended the game, but to us he was so much more. While his contributions to the game are noteworthy, it is his kindness, humility, and love for family and friends that we will hold closest to our hearts.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred commented, “Bob was the genuine item: always the funniest person in any room he was in, and always an outstanding ambassador for our National Pastime. We are grateful for this baseball life like no other, and we will never forget him. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest sympathy to Bob’s family, his many friends across the game, Brewers fans and the countless baseball fans who admired him.”