Mr. Baseball Bob Uecker to Have Heart Surgery
By Jon Byman and Jay Sorgi
Story Created: Apr 27, 2010
Story Updated: Apr 27, 2010
MILWAUKEE - Longtime Brewers Broadcaster Bob Uecker announced today that he will miss 10-12 weeks in the broadcast booth. Uecker is scheduled to undergo heart surgery this Friday.
Uecker and his doctor are planning to speak publicly about his health this afternoon at Miller Park around 3:30. You can listen to that news conference live on Newsradio 620 WTMJ and watch it live on TODAY'S TMJ 4 HD.
Bob will announce Tuesday night's and Wednesday afternoon's games at Miller Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Newsradio 620 WTMJ, but will not make the team's road trip to the West Coast following Wednesday.
Uecker, the longtime voice of the Brewers on Newsradio 620 WTMJ, has been behind the microphone calling Major League Baseball games for more consecutive years than almost any active broadcaster.
After a playing career that saw him behind the plate catching for his hometown Milwaukee Braves, the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, Uecker worked in the television broadcast booth on Atlanta Braves broadcasts.
In 1971, he joined Merle Harmon as the radio voice of the Brewers, and is in his 40th year behind the microphone.
Uecker's baseball broadcasting career has also given him assignments covering the World Series for both ABC and NBC.
In 2003, he received the Ford Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for baseball broadcasting excellence.
Uecker is also well known for his many appearances on the Tonight Show, his humor-filled Miller Lite commercials, his time on the TV show "Mr. Belvedere" and his role as Harry Doyle in the "Major League" movie series.