MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers will host a public memorial next month for "Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker, giving fans a chance to mourn, remember, and celebrate the life of the beloved broadcaster who died in January.
READ ALSO: Former Mr. Belvedere actress recalls Uecker as her TV father
Among those attending will be Uecker's television family from the 1980s sitcom Mr. Belvedere, where he played family patriarch George Owens.
Tracy Tofte, who played his TV daughter Heather, confirmed the reunion in an email: "The entire Belvedere cast is coming back for Bob Uecker Day at the stadium."
The cast members made time to speak with me over Zoom about why they wouldn't miss this opportunity to honor their former colleague and friend.
"Those years that we did the show were absolutely among the best years of my life," said Ilene Graff, who played Uecker's TV wife, Marsha.
When asked about working with Uecker, Graff described him as incredibly fun. "He could make anything into a joke, always with a deadpan, and then he would crack himself up," Graff said.
Watch: Former Mr. Belvedere actress recalls Uecker as her TV father
Rob Stone, who played one of Uecker's TV children, recalled the positive atmosphere Uecker created on set.
"It was fantastic. We took the work seriously, but we tried not to take ourselves too seriously, and Bob was really the one who set the tone for that," Stone said.
Brice Beckham, who portrayed Wesley, the youngest in the family, shared a touching memory of Uecker's playful nature.
Watch: 'Mr. Belvedere' cast to reunite in Milwaukee for Bob Uecker memorial
"Because I was a kid and prone to hyperactivity, they tried to limit my sugar intake, but Bob would leave bags of marshmallows for me, stashed under the set where no one could really go except me," Beckham said.
The cast members emphasized that they truly became a family both on and off screen, with Tofte describing Uecker as "the anchor, a big anchor for all of us."
Tofte, who says Uecker was like a second father to her, remained close with him over the years. She visited him at his home in Menomonee Falls in December, knowing he was battling cancer.
"I'm very, very grateful that I got to spend time with him and Judy and my husband about a month before he passed," Tofte said. "There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Bob. I call his wife, Judy, often, just to check on her and see how she's doing."
The cast members expressed their eagerness to join Brewers fans in Milwaukee to celebrate Uecker's life.
"To be able to celebrate him along with the city of Milwaukee, and really give him the send-off that he deserves, I think is very special," Beckham said.
Stone added, "It's just an honor to be a small part of anything we can do to honor Bob. He meant so much to all of us, and he has that impact on everybody."
Graff reflected on their place in Uecker's storied life: "Bob had friends for 60, 70 years, and he was [in] baseball for well over 50 years, and we [were] with him for five and a half years. So when you look at the trajectory of his life, we were like just this much of it. To be recognized for the importance of that small time, and for Milwaukee and the Brewers to want to include us, I found very touching."
The Brewers' game celebrating the life of Mr. Baseball will take place during the final game in the series against the Giants, Sunday, Aug. 24. Bob Uecker was the voice of the team for 54 seasons. He died Jan. 16 after a battle with cancer.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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