Brewers fans pay their respects at the Bob Uecker statue outside the stadium

On By Littum

At the base of the statue of Bob Uecker outside the entrance to American Family Field, no more than 30 minutes after the legendary Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster, stood the most fitting tribute imaginable.

An unopened can of Miller Lite.

As news spread of Uecker’s death Thursday morning, people from all corners of Milwaukee flocked to the statue of the city’s most beloved citizen to pay their respects. The base of the statue was crowded as some brought flowers while others brought Brewers hats, baseballs and candles. Fittingly, plenty of fans brought cans of Miller as a nod to Uecker’s famous commercials as a spokesperson for the beer and his countless in-game commercials on the air.

“I think anyone who is a legend in Milwaukee would be happy to know that they are represented with the fun times and come with Miller Lite,” said Jacob Peardon of Muskego, who saw a post on social media about the first Miller Lite can on Uecker’s statue and left work to leave another while saying goodbye.

Pearson did not know Uecker personally. Hardly anyone else stopped by his statue Thursday, as Miller’s cans and other tributes piled up. But the message from all of them was the same.

The felt just like they did.

“I think what makes Bob special to a lot of us is that he reminds us of our family,” said John Rymasczewski of Milwaukee. “My grandmother and grandfather were of his generation. They are brewers. They were Braves fans before that. And the fact of sports and everything in life is that it’s about community. Someone who is so approachable and such a lively personality, it makes you think of your loved ones.”

“There was something nostalgic about his voice,” Jonathan Powell said. “It’s comforting. He makes you feel like he’s talking to you you. He makes you laugh. He reminds you that it’s just a game.”

Kairee Larson, a longtime Brewers season ticket holder who lives near the stadium, got her introduction to Brewers baseball by listening to games with her grandfather on the radio. Her ringtone to this day is Uecker’s call of Ryan Braun’s home run on the final day of the 2008 regular season that sent the Brewers to the playoffs for the first time in 26 years.

“One of the things I thought today was that my baby, born one day now, will not be able to hear that iconic voice,” she said. “It’s kind of sad.”

Marty LeMense of Milwaukee choked up thinking about a summer of Brewers baseball without Uecker, who was called upon to rattle off his famous pitch reading in one breath.

“I was already joking with some friends how we got together tonight and had some Mr. Baseball Usinger’s sausage and some crunchy Pretzilla buns and washed it all down with Cedar Crest ice cream and a pint of Miller Lite,” LeMense said. “Get together and get all the sponsors at once.”

LeMense went on to point out how, for nearly every fan, Brewers baseball is indelibly linked to Mr. Baseball.

“I remember summers as a kid going from one neighbor’s house to the next and hearing Uecker on the radio in the garage up and down the neighborhood,” he said. “I remember being 21 and partying a little too hard out in the parking lot listening to Ueck and before we knew it we’d missed most of the game so we just threw more sausages on the grill and listened to the rest of the game… Uecker was the soundtrack to a lot of a summer, and it just won’t be the same without him.”

One of the realities Brewers fans never wanted to see was the chance that Uecker would never be in contention for a World Series championship, something that made Thursday’s news an even harder pill to swallow.

“Unfortunately, he won’t see the World Series that everyone has always hoped for, making it a little more bittersweet when it finally comes,” Larson said.

That day, Brewers fans hope, will eventually come.

But for now, they only have the day they hoped would never come.

“This is all I know,” Pearson said. “I’ve never been a fan of Milwaukee Brewers baseball without Bob Uecker. I don’t think anyone in the city will ever forget him.”