Just caught up with Luke Winn’s terrific story on Bob Uecker in the June 27 edition of Sports Illustrated. Highly recommend you take the time to read about one of the most unique characters in baseball history, who still is going strong as the voice of the Brewers at age 78.

Loved this description from Winn:

It’s a shame that you can’t see him talk, can’t watch the ripple effect words have on his face, the creases and folds and that bulbous schnozz, the whole cartoony lot of it framed by a swept-back, polar-white mane. In the Philly booth Uecker is a festival of facial animation, while the rest of him is placid. His head stays level. His back and disproportionately broad shoulders stay tilted toward his tabletop microphone. He taps his black loafers slowly, soundlessly, as he speaks. Uecker wears an earpiece in his right ear, attached to a clear cord that curlicues behind his neck. He sits on the right side of the booth, with highlighted game notes and a scorebook.

And there’s this:

Uecker imitators must perfect a complex repertoire: his drawn-out vowels (“heeeeeeee struck him out”), his talent for sausage-ad improvs, his deftness at weaving balls and strikes into story time, his propensity for breaking into his home run call on balls that lack the sauerkraut to get over the fence. This sequence, from the bottom of the sixth on April 29 against the Pirates, is a fine template:

“Baseball being brought to you in part by Usinger’s. People here in Wisconsin, and everywhere else for that matter, know fresh is best, like fresh crisp kraut, stacked high on a tasty Usinger’s brat hot off the grill. And the pitch by Sanchez rides high and outside. All into a local-made Pretzilla soft pretzel bun, and you’ve got the perfect meal, folks. And if you’re looking for tailgating par excellence, that’s the way to do it. Outside on Segura, two and oh. Baseball season and Usinger’s sausage: doesn’t get much better than that, nope. I probably eat Usinger’s sausage at least twice a day. And maybe five to six pounds. There’s a strike on the outside corner.”

(Block: “And now we know what you’re doing during the third, fourth and seventh.”)

“Two balls and a strike. I pack it and stack it. That’s low on Segura, 3 and 1 now. Woodman’s Food Market home run inning. Jenna Speltz from Independence. Woodman’s gift card jackpot, 1,200 bucks now. Whoo. And the pitch to Segura, a drive to right, DEEP! GET UP, GET OUT OF HERE—OFF THE WALL! Just missed, Jenna. He’s going for three now and he’s going to be in there with a sliding triple.”

And there’s much more. Again, worth your time.