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| '''Robert George Uecker''' (born ], ]) is an ] former ] player, later an award-winning ] and ]. | '''Robert George Uecker (Ücker)''' (born ], ]) is an ] former ] player, later an award-winning ] and ]. | ||
| Born in ], Uecker signed a professional contract with his hometown ] in 1956. He made his major league debut as a ] with the Braves in 1962. A mediocre hitter who finished with a career ] of .200, Uecker also played for the ] and ] before returning to the Braves, who had by then moved to Atlanta. He closed his 6-year career in 1967. | Born in ], Uecker signed a professional contract with his hometown ] in 1956. He made his major league debut as a ] with the Braves in 1962. A mediocre hitter who finished with a career ] of .200, Uecker also played for the ] and ] before returning to the Braves, who had by then moved to Atlanta. He closed his 6-year career in 1967. | ||
Revision as of 14:50, 28 June 2005
Robert George Uecker (Ücker) (born January 26, 1935) is an American former Major League Baseball player, later an award-winning sportscaster and actor.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Uecker signed a professional contract with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956. He made his major league debut as a catcher with the Braves in 1962. A mediocre hitter who finished with a career batting average of .200, Uecker also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies before returning to the Braves, who had by then moved to Atlanta. He closed his 6-year career in 1967.
After retiring as a player, Uecker returned to Milwaukee. In 1970, he began calling play-by-play for Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcasts, a position he holds to this day, as of 2005. He also served as a color commentator on network television broadcasts in the 1970s (for ABC) and 1990s (for NBC).
Known for his humor, particularly about his undistinguished playing career, Uecker actually became much better known after he retired. He published two books, including an autobiography, Catcher in the Wry (ISBN 0515090298), Catch 222 (ISBN 0399137440). Uecker also pursued an acting career, and played the part of George Owens in the television sitcom Mr. Belvedere, was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, and appeared in a number of humorous commercials. Uecker jokingly identifies himself by the sobriquet of "Mr. Baseball". Uecker also appeared in the movie Major League as Harry Doyle, the announcer for the team the movie is based on, the Cleveland Indians. A very popular and funny phrase is often quoted from this movie; "Just a bit outside..." on a pitch that is several feet outside the strike zone.
Uecker was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2003, he received the Ford C. Frick Award, bestowed annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball."
External links
- Baseball Hall of Fame - Frick Award recipient
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference