Listen to Erik Bilstad's full tribute below.
Perhaps no one individual Wisconsin sports encapsulates the culture of a community, and brings that community together, than WTMJ Brewers Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker.
This is his 48th season calling his hometown team, 46 of them including this year on WTMJ.
WTMJ talked to seven men with 157 combined years calling MLB play-by-play. These men know Ueck as well as anyone - fi of whom were his broadcast partners, another who learned at the feet of the master while working at WTMJ before becoming the voice of the Chicago Cubs, and the other...well, Vin Scully needs no introduction.
Listen to each in podcast form below:
"It's relatively easy to make people cry and it's relatively easy to make people mad. But it's extremely difficult to make people laugh. If you have that ability to make people laugh, you're extra special. That's what I think of Bob." - Vin Scully, retired 67-year voice of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers and voice of baseball on NBC, in conversation with Erik Bilstad
"Who else can weave in a story about Andre the Giant choking him, or how Johnny Carson didn't believe he was a baseball player, or how his TV son burned a steak in the oven, and some how relate it to Domingo Santana?" - Joe Block, radio voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates
"A great (broadcaster) is someone who never reminds you of anyone else. That's certainly applies to Uecker." - Pat Hughes, radio voice of the Chicago Cubs
"Nobody makes a baseball game more fun than Bob Uecker. He broadcasts with a smile on his face." - Len Kasper, TV voice of the Chicago Cubs
"Bob epitomizes what it means to be a Brewers fan. He was born and raised in Milwaukee. He's had opportunities to leave...but he's always wanted to stay. Milwaukee is Bob's home, and Bob is equally home to Milwaukee. He bleeds Brewers baseball. That is what he lives for." - Jeff Levering, Bob's current WTMJ Brewers broadcast partner
"Undoubtedly the greatest honor of my career is that I can say I was Bob Uecker's longest tenured partner. Thirteen years in the Brewers radio booth alongside the great Bob Uecker." - Jim Powell, radio voice of the Atlanta Braves
"He's so good, so funny, and such a genuine person. I would not be here without him." - Cory Provus, radio voice of the Minnesota Twins
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