A city’s voice, a team’s heart: Remembering Bob Uecker ahead of the Brewers home opener
Although this season will feel much different without Bob Uecker
By Adriana Mendez
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MILWAUKEE (WTMJ) — There was no one quite like Bob Uecker—with his vibrant personality, his humor and, of course, his iconic voice.
No one told the story of Milwaukee Brewers baseball better than Uecker. For 54 years, he transported us from our living rooms right onto the diamond.
For 54 years, Bob Uecker transported us from our living rooms right onto the diamond.
“He meant so much to fans, to listeners, to us as workmates. He was just such an important part of our lives—in the booth, in Brewers baseball, to the fans. He was Mr. Brewer,” said Kent Sommerfeld.
Sommerfeld worked side by side with Uecker for more than 39 years with the Brewers Radio Network.
“I remember the first time I met Bob, and Bob said, ‘We’re going to have a job to do, but we’re going to do our job, and we’re going to have fun. We’re going to have a lot of laughs along the way.'”
And he said this year feels much different without Mr. Baseball right beside him.
“You’re used to just turning to the right and saying, ‘Let’s go, Ueck,’ and we all do our little fist bumps and high-fives, and everybody gets ready to go. But the group was there, and someone was missing from the group this year. And it was Bob. He was a very, very important piece,” Sommerfeld said.
Sommerfeld said Uecker had natural talent—making any situation fun—but beyond the booth, it was his ability to connect with fans that truly captivated hearts. Uecker had a big heart, fulfilling dozens of Make-A-Wish requests and even taking time to speak with a heart patient who was struggling.
“So he personally called this person up on the phone and ended up talking to him for 20 minutes—just comforting him and saying, ‘Hey, you’ll get through this. It’s a process,'” Sommerfeld said.
Although this season will feel much different without Uecker, his legacy lives on through the memories he made in Milwaukee—and Brewers fans everywhere.
“He’s gonna be missed. I mean, there’s going to be this feeling—he should be here, but he’s not here. Here’s a man who worked doing baseball until the age of 90, not because he had to, but because he wanted to,” Sommerfeld said.
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