At the base of the statue of Bob Uecker outside the entrance to American Family Field, no more than 30 minutes after the passing of the legendary Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster, stood the most fitting tribute imaginable.
One unopened can of Miller Lite.
As news spread of Uecker’s death Thursday morning, people from all corners of Milwaukee flocked to the statue of the city’s most beloved citizen to pay their respects. The base of the statue grew crowded as some brought flowers while others brought Brewers hats, baseballs and candles. Fittingly, plenty of fans brought cans of Miller as a nod to Uecker’s famous commercials as a spokesman for the beer and his countless in-game advertisements over the air.
“I think anybody who is a legend in Milwaukee would be happy to know that they’re represented with the fun times and come with Miller Lite,” said Jacob Peardon of Muskego, who saw a social media post of the first Miller Lite can on Uecker’s statue and left work to leave another while saying his goodbyes.
Pearson didn’t know Uecker personally. Nor did nearly anyone else who stopped by his statue Thursday as the cans of Miller and other items of tributes piled. But the message from them all was the same.
They felt like they did.
“I think what makes Bob special for a lot of us is he reminds us of our family,” said John Rymasczewski of Milwaukee. “My grandma and grandpa were of his generation. They’re brewers fans. They were Braves fans before that. And the fact about sports and anything in life, is it’s about the community. Someone like that who’s so welcoming and such a vivacious personality, it makes you think of your loved ones.”
“There was something nostalgic about his voice,” said Jonathan Powell. “It’s comforting. He makes you feel like he’s speaking to you. He makes you laugh. He reminds you it’s just a game.”
Kairee Larson, a longtime Brewers season ticket holder who lives near the stadium, got her introduction to Brewers baseball by listening to games with her grandfather on the radio. Her ringtone to this day is Uecker’s call of Ryan Braun’s home run on the final day of the regular season in 2008 that sent the Brewers to the playoffs for the first time in 26 years.
“One of the things I thought today was that, you know, my baby that’s due any day now is not going to be able to hear the iconic voice,” she said. “It’s kind of sad.”
Marty LeMense of Milwaukee choked up thinking about a summer of Brewers baseball without Uecker on the call to rattle off his famous ad reads all in one breath.
“I was already joking with some buddies how we got to get together tonight and get some Mr. Baseball Usinger’s sausage and some crisp Pretzilla buns and wash it all down with Cedar Crest ice cream and a pint of Miller Lite,” LeMense said. “Get together and get all the sponsors in one sitting.”
LeMense went on to point out how Brewers baseball, for just about every single fan, is indellibly tied to Mr. Baseball.
“I remember summers as a kid going from one neighbor’s house to the next and hearing Uecker on the radio in the garage up and down the neighborhood,” he said. “I remember being 21 and partying a bit too hard out in the parking lot listening to Ueck and before we knew it we’d missed most of the game so we just threw more sausages on the grill and listened to the rest of the game…Uecker was the soundtrack of many a summer and it just won’t be the same without him.”
One of the realities Brewers fans never wanted to face was the chance that Uecker would never be on the call for a World Series championship, something that made Thursday’s news an even harder pill to swallow.
“Unfortunately, him not seeing the World Series that everyone always hoped for will make it a little more bittersweet when it finally comes,” Larson said.
That day, Brewers fans hope, will eventually come.
But, for now, all they have is the day they hoped would never come.
“This is all I know,” Pearson said. “I’ve never been a fan of Milwaukee Brewers baseball without Bob Uecker. I don’t think anybody in the city will ever forget him.”
