Bob Uecker: National Treasure, Milwaukee Deity

I recently watched an MLB network special on Bob Uecker and tried again to soak in what a blessing and joy it's been to have him announcing baseball games for a perennially poor team for the last 43 years. People my age wonder what/why is Bob a national celebrity? We certainly know his Harry Doyle character from Major Leagues, even fewer may remember him as the Dad on Mr. Belvidere, but there's plenty more than that. Bob was a habitual guest on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, was THE spokesperson for Miller Lite, and announced World Series games with Bob Costas, Tim McCarver, Joe Morgan, and Howard Cosell. He's widely considered to be hilarious by most people and is generally unencumbered by his massive celebrity, though I've heard a few occasions when he isn't the nicest of people out in public. He's consistently fended off offers from New York, and many other markets offering much more pay and fame than Milwaukee, yet here he has remained. In his own words, he fishes, he plays golf, and he does baseball and he wouldn't know what else to do with himself. Everything he else he did was "nice", but he always yearned to return to baseball while away in Hollywood. He enjoys SO much the fact that current players still treat him as one of their own. I really enjoyed former players talking about how he deserves to be included in the names of: Jack Buck, Vin Scully, and Howard Cosell. Yount makes a great comment that he isn't in the Hall of Fame just because he's funny. If you've never seen his Hall of Fame speech, it's a must-see on Youtube. He has everyone laughing and rolling around for fifteen minutes perfecting self-depricating humor. We certainly won't have a lot of years left with Ueck, so I want everyone to soak it in and appreciate whatever he has left. I want us all to remember the great times we've had and how lucky we've been. Listen to Rock Schroeder to see what normally happens when an athlete hops in the broadcasting booth for their former team. We've been unbelievably lucky and blessed.