Bob "I Must Be In The Front Row" Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers announcer, star of Mr. Belvedere, tuba player for the 1964 Cardinals, is in the news because he has a stalker.
I hope it is resolved okay, because because Bob Eucker is one of the great people in baseball. His book, Catcher In The Wry, is a charming, witty and insightful look into the day-to-day tedium of a utility ball player (Eucker once shagged fly balls during pregame with a tuba).
Much of the book was taken from notes by Mark Stillwell, president of the Bob Uecker Fan Club. Stillwell and fellow Drury College students noticed that the Cardinals had lost every game in which Uecker appeared. They formed a fan club, which boasted more than 500 members. They had sweatshirts printed that said, "Bob Uecker Is A Great American."
Which is why I mention him here. Uecker will not be remembered much as a player, but he made the most of his talent and made a decent living doing what he loved. He turned a whacky sense of humor into a television career, and his experience into a Hall of Fame broadcasting effort. That's great.
Read more about Baseball, Baseball Gear and Baseball Uniforms.
