TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

March 14, 2003 — Milwaukee Brewers TV/Radio play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker is chosen for induction into the broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.

Uecker was sent down to the minor leagues in 1961 after breaking camp with the Milwaukee Braves, manager Charlie Dressen told him, “There is no room in baseball for a clown.” Dressen could not have been more wrong. While no one would dispute that professional baseball is a business, Bob Uecker has spent more than a half-century in the game reminding us that the national pastime should also be about fun. “Mr. Baseball,” as he is known to both casual and diehard baseball fans alike, has been a player, broadcaster, coach, actor, all-around ambassador for the game, and, yes, comedian. Beloved for his self-deprecating humor, he would be the first person to make fun of his rather unremarkable playing career, particularly his offensive statistics. “Uke,” Sports Illustrated’s William Taaffe once said, “is the man who made mediocrity famous” (This is from his SABR Bio link below).

In six seasons (1962-67) as a major-league catcher (almost all of it as a backup), Uecker batted exactly .200. In 297 games (217 starts) he got 146 hits, hit 14 home runs, and drove in 74 runs. “Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. … But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat,” he once said.

His first break outside of baseball came at Al Hirt's nightclub in Atlanta in 1969. Hirt was so impressed with Uecker's dead-pan comedy that he arranged for him to appear on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show." Which led to some 100 appearances with Carson, and appearances on ABC network television shows, including a starring role in "Mr. Belvedere" beginning in 1985.

In 1971 he joined Tom Collins in the Milwaukee Brewers second year in existence to broadcast the games. He will be recognized as the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the year five times. Uecker's tenure as a Brewers broadcaster for 54 seasons was the second-longest continuous tenure with one team among active Major League Baseball announcers prior to his death, trailing only Kansas City Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews (1969–present).

He has broadcast the World Series, League Championship Series and All-Star Game, as well as ABC's "Monday Night Baseball" in the 1970s and 1980s. At NBC, Uecker was a color commentator for the 1994 and 1996 All-Star Games, 1995 and 1996 American League Championship Series, 1997 National League Championship Series, and the 1995 and 1997 World Series.

Uecker, didn’t stop here. He was featured in Miller Lite commercials with the catch phrase, "I must be in the front row", which became another of his catchphrases. The punch line was that Uecker's seat was actually in the nosebleed section. Since then, the farthest seats from the action in some arenas and stadiums have been jokingly called "Uecker seats". There is a section of $1 seating called the "Uecker seats" at American Family Field, the baseball stadium of the Milwaukee Brewers.

He also appeared at Wrestlemania III and IV. Appeared in MLB Movie comedy’s, Major League I and II. Infact there are so many movie credits the link to them all can be found below.

A career well done!

The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Uecker as Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year five times (1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987), and inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2011.

Uecker was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2003, he received the Ford C. Frick Award, bestowed annually by the Baseball Hall of Fame to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball". His humorous and self-deprecating speech was a highlight of the ceremony.

In 2005, Uecker's 50th year in professional baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers placed a number 50 in his honor in their "Ring of Honor", near the retired numbers of Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Four years later, on May 12, 2009, Uecker's name was also added to the Brewers Wall of Honor inside American Family Field.

Uecker was inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010, honored for his appearances at WrestleMania III and WrestleMania IV.

On August 31, 2012, the Brewers erected the Uecker Monument outside American Family Field alongside statues of Hank Aaron, Robin Yount and Bud Selig.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared September 25, 2021, as Bob Uecker Day in honor of his 50th year broadcasting Brewers games.

Todays highlights and Historic Days!

March 14, 1883 — In a Northwestern League meeting, Peoria moves to ban black players in order to prevent Toledo from playing star catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker. After an “exciting discussion” the motion is withdrawn and Walker is allowed to play.

March 14, 1932, the Cincinnati Reds acquire catcher Ernie Lombardi, outfielder Babe Herman, and infielder Wally Gilbert from the Brooklyn Dodgers for catcher Clyde Sukeforth and infielders Tony Cuccinello and Joe Stripp. Lombardi will star for the Reds over the next 10 seasons. Winning a batting title and MVP in 1938. Herman will bat .324 in one season in Cincinnati following the trade (he will later return to the club for two seasons).

March 14, 1954, future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron makes his first spring training start for the Milwaukee Braves. Aaron, taking advantage of an injury suffered by starting outfielder Bobby Thomson, he raps out three hits, including a home run against the Boston Red Sox. The noise of the contact is so loud that Ted Williams runs out of the Boston clubhouse to see who can make that sound with a bat. Aaron will start for the Braves on Opening Day and will go on to hit a respectable .280 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs in his rookie season.

March 14, 1956, 50-year-old pitching star Satchel Paige signs a contract to play for the Birmingham Barons of the Negro National League. Paige also agrees to manage the team in 1956.

March 14, 1956 in York, PA In his 13-year career (1976-1988), Butch Wynegar had 1,102 hits, 626 BB (against only 428 strikeouts), .255 BA & .348 OBP. Wynegar was a 2X All-Star and finished runner-up (to Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych) for the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 1976.

March 14, 1960, future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett is born in Chicago, Illinois. Puckett will make his major league debut in 1984, when he hits .296 for the Minnesota Twins. Over a 12-year career, Puckett will bat .318 with 207 home runs and 1,085 RBIs, helping the Twins to two World Championships. He will win election to the Hall of Fame in 2001.

March 14, 1969 -- Former major leaguer Heinie Zimmerman dies in New York, NY at the age of 82. The one-time Triple Crown winner was banned from baseball in 1919 for his alleged involvement in fixing games. Late in the 1919 season, looking for an extra payday, Giants third baseman Heinie Zimmerman, along with teammate Hal Chase, attempted to convince two teammates to throw games. When it came to the attention of manager John McGraw, Zimmerman and Chase were both released. The following year, Zimmerman was banned from organized baseball by Commissioner Landis. His faulty character was unfortunate, because Zimmerman was a very good ballplayer. With the Cubs in 1912, he led the National league in batting, home runs, slugging, hits, doubles, and total bases. He was however, one of the most mediocre defensive infielders of the Deadball Era. Later research will show that he had not in fact led the National League in RBI in 1912, and the Triple Crown banner will also be stripped away from him.

March 14, 1974, Alex Pompez, one of the most important figures in the history of the Negro leagues, dies in New York City. Pompez owned the Cuban Stars of the Eastern Colored League, and later the New York Cubans of the Negro National League. Following the demise of the Negro leagues, Pompez was hired as a scout for the New York and San Francisco Giants, where for 25 years he worked to open the door for Caribbean players to enter the major leagues. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

March 14, 1995 - The Players Association announces that it will not settle the strike if replacement players are used in regular season games, and if results are not voided.

March 14, 2003 — Milwaukee Brewers TV/Radio play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker is chosen for induction into the broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. The 68-year-old former back-up catcher, who joined the Milwaukee broadcast crew in 1971, is best known for the humor he has brought to the game through his starring role in the cult movie Major League and the beer commercial in which the phrase Must be in the front row! has become a familiar cry in ballparks around the country.

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: Johnny loved Bob Uecker! How many times did Johnny Carson have Uecker on the show"?

IF you think you know the answer and bonus points for how many respond with details and if you are right I will give you a shut out! No Googling!

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 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA: Will Clark was chosen second in the 1985 amateur draft. In that same draft a future Hall of Famer was drafted 4th. Who was he?

TRIVIA ANSWER: Clark was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the second overall pick, behind Olympic teammate B.J. Surhoff, in the 1985 amateur draft. This was one of the most talented draft classes in history, featuring players such as Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin was selected 4th, Bobby Witt and Gregg Jefferies, as well as Surhoff and Palmeiro.

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