Brewers prepare to celebrate Uecker with special day at the ballpark

This story was excerpted from Adam McCalvy’s Brewers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MILWAUKEE -- When the Brewers and Bob Uecker’s family began considering ways to publicly honor the team’s legendary broadcaster following his January passing at age 90, a game day at the ballpark always seemed like the right venue.

“The most important things to Bob were family and baseball,” said Brewers spokesperson Tyler Barnes. “To be able to combine it with a game, it just seemed like the right thing.”

On Sunday, the time finally comes. The Brewers are expecting a full house at American Family Field as fans celebrate and remember the life of “Mr. Baseball” before and during the Brewers-Giants series finale.

If there’s one thing to know, it’s this: You’ll want to be there early. Parking lots open at 10 a.m. CT and stadium gates open at 10:30 a.m. CT, when fans will get their first look at a remarkable collection of personal items from Uecker’s career -- one installation on each of the four levels of the ballpark. You’ll be happy you allowed time to explore the treasures on display.

Fans are then asked to be in their seats by 12:15 p.m. CT for a program full of laughs and memories, said Barnes, the Brewers’ senior vice president of communications and affiliate operations, and one of the myriad club officials who have been working with Uecker’s family to plan Sunday’s public celebration of life.

“I cannot say enough about the family and how great they have been to partner with us on this,” Barnes said. “With few exceptions, there have been daily conversations with the family on what we want to do and how we want to do it, and some things that they want to do.

“We’re all looking for the right tone for how this is going to be presented, because you’re talking about a great entertainer and one of the funniest people in the history of comedy, but it also has to be very respectful and very thoughtful. You want to be striking that right emotion.”

If you can’t be there in person on Sunday, the Brewers' telecast on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and Uecker’s former radio partners on the Brewers Radio Network will have live coverage of the ceremony. And once the game begins -- first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. CT -- the celebration continues with between-innings programming throughout the day.

The Brewers are keeping the guest list and details of the program under wraps, except to say that it will be hosted by Bob Costas. But anyone who followed Uecker’s one-of-a-kind career knows it will include nods to his forays into television, film, advertising and comedy, along with plenty of baseball, of course.

Here are some of the other things the Brewers have planned for Sunday:

-- A limited-edition retail collection honoring Uecker will be available Sunday at all retail locations at American Family Field, including a pop-up location on the Loge Level. The items are expected to sell out that day and will not be re-ordered, Barnes said, a special poster from original work created by artist Ryan Duggan, and other apparel and novelty items with references to Uecker’s iconic tag lines, his Milwaukee baseball career and his career as an entertainer. A portion of proceeds will benefit three charities supported by Uecker throughout his career: The Wounded Warrior Project, The ALS Association and the Bob Uecker Chair for Cancer Research.

-- The Uecker memorial uniform patch will be available for purchase at the main Brewers Team Store for one day only, but it must be applied to jerseys purchased that day or existing purchased jerseys.

-- All charitable proceeds from the Brewers Charities 50/50 raffle that day will benefit causes supported by Uecker.

-- The grounds crew will install specially-made bases with a Uecker jewel on the side, and the Brewers and Giants will play with baseballs imprinted with a Uecker logo. So if you catch a foul ball on Sunday, you’re going home with a collector’s item.

-- Walking around American Family Field at Friday’s series opener, it was clear the Brewers have some new ballpark features in the works. Uecker’s medallion on the track beam high above center field, next to Robin Yount’s and Paul Molitor’s retired numbers, was covered in black cloth as of Friday. So was the wall above the press box on the stadium’s Loge Level, and the wall next to the home radio booth.

It’s all just the very start of what the team has in store. There might even be a surprise or two for the players.

“I’m really happy to be here for this weekend,” said Giants shortstop Willy Adames, a Uecker favorite during Adames’ tenure in Milwaukee. “The past four years were unbelievable, and to be part of this weekend is special.

“It feels like every day was an unbelievable moment with him. His energy was amazing. I saw him hanging out with my dad every time and I was like, ‘How are you guys communicating? How do you talk to each other? How do you like each other so much?’ It was special.”

Uecker had a way of making relationships like that.

It’s why there won’t be a dry eye in the house on Sunday.

“We are approaching this as if it is a small, intimate, family affair,” Barnes said. “And Bob’s immediate family is the highest priority in what has been planned. Bob’s family of friends, though, extends to millions of people all over the world and the 42,000 people who will be here on Sunday. We want this to be a special occasion for all.”