A native of Wisconsin, born and raised in Milwaukee, Uecker turned a middling, five-year stint as an MLB catcher during the 1960s into a broadcasting career that spanned six decades, made him a mainstay in Hollywood and saw his everyman persona become as synonymous with the Brewers as the Miller Lite beer he served as spokesman for.

The journeyman catcher and award-winning sports commentator, known by many as "Mr. Baseball," was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer in 2023.