Bob Uecker Laugh-In

Bob Uecker, who turned 90 on Friday, is a former catcher, comedian and actor. Spent 1966 and part of 1967 with the Phillies during a six-year career in the majors. He also played for the Braves in Milwaukee and Atlanta and the St. Louis Cardinals. In 297 games, he hit .200.

Became more popular after he took off the uniform. Poking fun at his playing days led to a career that included movies, his own syndicated television show, commercials, numerous appearances on late night shows and network baseball games as a commentator.

According to one source he appeared on 100 Tonight Shows with Johnny Carson, who dubbed him “Mr. Baseball.”

He’s also one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Very down to earth.

Bob began a broadcasting career with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971. He’s still on radio for home games. Uecker was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with its 2003 Ford C. Frick Award in recognition of his broadcasting career.

Quotables

“I spent three of the best years of my life in 10th grade.”

“I didn’t get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.”

“I had a great shoe contract and glove contract with a company who paid me a lot of money never to be seen using their stuff.”

“They broke it to me gently. The manager came up to me before a game and told me they didn’t allow visitors in the clubhouse.”

“I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.”

“In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.”

“I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn’t have that kind of dough.”

“People don’t know this but I helped the Cardinals win the pennant in 1967. I came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it.”

“The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”

“When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team’s dugout and they were already in street clothes.”

“They said I was such a great prospect that they were sending me to a winter league to sharpen up. When I stepped off the plane, I was in Greenland.”

“I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and 11 of that came from selling other players’ equipment.”

“I had a .200 lifetime batting average in the major leagues, which tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better for a ten-year period: Don Carter, one of our top bowlers.”

“I knew when my time was up in Philly. After not playing for five straight days, I decided to relax by listening to the radio while in the whirlpool post-game. The trainer walked by and threw the radio in the whirlpool.”