Reaction pours in following passing of beloved baseball broadcaster Bob Uecker
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The passing of baseball legend Bob Uecker has many reacting far and wide.
The team announced Uecker died Thursday morning, Jan. 16, calling it "one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history." In a statement released by the club, Uecker’s family said he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023.
Uecker's most recent broadcast partner, Jeff Levering, told CBS 58 "It's sad to lose your friend. It's sad to lose an extension of your family."
Levering spent some time with Uecker in his final days, saying that during that time, "Even the squeeze of a hand from Bob meant a lot."
Levering said Uecker made their job feel like it wasn't work.
They fished together, talked about their children, loved, celebrated, and mourned together.
"He lived life to the Nth degree," Levering said. "The only way he knew how to live it."
Uecker's decades-long relationship with the Brewers started back in 1971, when then-owner Bud Selig hired the so-so catcher and so-so scout.
CBS 58 spoke with Selig on the phone Thursday from Arizona. He said of hiring Uecker, "And I didn't know what the hell he was going to do."
No one did, but the irreverence and hilarity seemed to work.
In the decades to follow, Uecker celebrated baseball, the Brewers, and his hometown.
Selig told us, "He was a great baseball man, and boy, he loved Milwaukee."
Selig was among countless friends who lauded Uecker's humility, charity, and loyalty, telling us, "I never had a signed contract with him. Nothing. We shook hands back in 1971 and that was it, guys."
Current owner Mark Attanasio had to win over Uecker when he bought the franchise in 2004, but it didn't take long.
On a conference call Thursday, Attanasio said, "We felt this morning like we lost a family member."
Attanasio said Uecker kept private a long list of charitable endeavors.
He also kept quiet about a two-year battle with lung cancer.
"There were days he'd go have radiation treatment and then come to the ballpark and broadcast a game," Attanasio said.
But Uecker didn't just connect with big money executives and high-profile players. He related to everyone, including the stadium ushers.
Former usher Walt Remondini told us Uecker would always have a kind word for his crew. "Hey, this guy doesn't know me, but he took a few seconds to say hi and acknowledge you, and that's the kind of guy he was."
The Brewers are still finalizing plans to honor Uecker's life in a significant way next season.
For now, they're mourning their friend.
Attanasio said, "It's going to be very hard to go into the booth and not see him. It's going to be very hard to walk through that ballpark."
There is a common theme we have heard about with Uecker, that he was down to earth and loved to talk to people. He had even formed a decades long relationship with the company who washed the windows of his house. CBS 58 talked to the owner of that company, Jeff Klass, today. He says he never liked to ask Bob for an autograph, so his workers brought him a bat that already had one.
"And looked at it, and then just shook his head, and he said, 'eff no', and my crew was mortified, I was mortified, he said 'I never signed this bat,'" said Klass.
Klass told CBS 58 Bob saw that above the signature, it said "Mr. Baseball." Bob told him he would never write that.
"Sitting at his kitchen table, with our squeegees on and whatever, he grabbed a sharpie and turned the bat and signed underneath the fake signature," said Klass.
The bat now has a place above Klass's basement bar, and he says it's a story he loved telling people. He said he would talk to Bob about everything but baseball, and Bob would ask how his family is doing and catch up with him on the job.
Many organizations and individuals from near and far have released statements regarding Uecker's passing.
Statement from The Milwaukee Brewers
“Today, we take on the heaviest of burdens. Today, we say goodbye to our beloved friend, Bob Uecker.
“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.
“There is no describing the impact Ueck had on so many, and no words for how much he was loved. We are left with a giant void in our hearts, but also remember the laughter and joy he brought to our lives throughout the years.”
Statement from Commissioner Emeritus of Major League Baseball and former Brewers Owner, Allan H. “Bud” Selig
“I am heartbroken with the loss of my dear lifelong friend, Bob Uecker. I can’t begin to describe how much he meant to me, let alone what this loss is for Brewers fans, the state of Wisconsin and countless others worldwide.
“Bob had the easiest way of making others feel at ease, share a laugh and always left people feeling a little better. Nobody was his equal.
“I am so grateful that Bob’s friendship was a constant presence throughout most of my life. For over fifty years, rarely did a day pass where we missed a conversation, a sharing of stories, and countless laughs. That cannot be replaced and is a giant loss, but I am lucky to have experienced that kind of enduring friendship.
“Sue and I are thinking of Judy, Bob’s children Sue Ann and Bob Jr., and all of Bob’s family during what is a difficult time for all of us.”
Statement from the Uecker family
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Bob. To many, he was an announcer and entertainer whose humor and voice transcended the game, but to us he was so much more.
“Bob faced a private battle with small cell lung cancer since early 2023, which he met with the same strength and resilience that defined him. Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter.
“He brought joy to countless listeners through his wit, charisma, and love for baseball, Milwaukee, and all of Wisconsin, creating a legacy that will forever be cherished. 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.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time as we grieve and celebrate the man we were so lucky to call ours.”
Reaction from MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred
Major League Baseball
Reaction from Christian Yelich
Reaction from former Brewers pitcher Brent Suter
Reaction from former Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy
Green Bay Packers reaction on X
Milwaukee Bucks reaction on X
Milwaukee Admirals reaction
Statement from the Chicago Cubs
Statement from the Cleveland Guardians
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of one of Wisconsin’s own, Mr. Baseball himself, the great Bob Uecker. For more than 50 years, Bob brought the magic of the ballpark to life for so many, and I am sure I speak for Brewers fans everywhere when I say we gladly would have had him for 50 more.
“He wasn’t just a comedian and a great announcer—Bob was a man of character and integrity. Throughout his career, he made countless contributions to the history and culture of Major League Baseball, and he was active in giving back to our communities and our state. Boy, we’re going to miss him.
“He was beloved, not just in Wisconsin but across the country. He was a giant, and I—like so many other lifelong Brewers fans—will miss hearing his enthusiasm and love for the game and our Brewers on the airwaves. It’s a sad day. Kathy and I are thinking of his family, friends, the Brew Crew, and all those who knew and loved Ueck. He will always be remembered.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
ESPN
Reaction from former actress Tracy Wells, one of Uecker's costars on "Mr. Belvedere"
Wisconsin Historical Society
Reaction from actor Adam Sandler"