Bob Uecker Quotes

“I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.”

“When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes.”

“Career highlights? I had two: I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.”

“In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.”

“I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for $3,000. That bothered my dad at the time, because he didn't have that kind of money. But he eventually scraped it up.”

“The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”

“I had slumps that lasted into the winter.”

“If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.”

“Hit .200 and try to stick around as long as I did; I think it's a much greater accomplishment. That's hard.”

“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.”

“People have asked me how long a dozen bats would last me. Depending on the weight and model I was using at that time, I would say eight to 10 cookouts.”

“I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame-treated bats. But when I got it, I realised they had sent me a box of ashes.”

“I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase.”

“I set records that will never be equalled. In fact, I hope 90% of them don't even get printed.”

“I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.”

“Sporting goods companies pay me not to endorse their products.”

“I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and 11 of that came from selling other players' equipment.”

“When I looked at the third base coach, he turned his back on me.”

“Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.”

“Any teammate of mine that had a boy capable of playing baseball, I think I set a terrific example of "Don't do this" and "Don't do that." And that's one of the things that I'm most proud of.”

“The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. My Bobby struck out three times in his championship Little League game and made an error that lost the game. Gosh, I was proud.”

“I spent three of the best years of my life in 10th grade.”

“I just grew the hair on my back. Facial hair just wasn't appealing to me.”

“Before broadcasting for 50-some years, I did TV, played 10 years in the big leagues, won a world championship, and played a big part in that, too.”

“Phil Niekro and his brother were pitching against each other in Atlanta. Their parents were sitting right behind home plate. I saw their folks more that day than they did the whole weekend.”