Bob Uecker was always up for a good time. Never mind if it would get him in a bit of trouble.
The tuba incident from 1964 was just another example.
Over 60 years ago, Uecker made headlines not for what he did at the plate during the 1964 World Series, when he played one of his six MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He actually never played in the seven-game series. But he made headlines for what he did before a game.
Uecker, who would go on to become the beloved Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer for over 50 years, decided to play a tuba in the outfield while shagging balls.
Yes, a tuba. But is that really surprising? It was classic Ueck even before he became Mr. Baseball and a pop culture star. It’s one of the many iconic moments from Uecker’s life that would make him a legend. He died Thursday at 90.
Here’s more about the time Uecker traded his baseball glove for a tuba:
Bob Uecker with a tuba
It was Oct. 8, 1964, and the Cardinals were looking to go up 2-0 in the series against the New York Yankees.
Uecker said there were three Dixieland bands on the field for the pregame entertainment at Busch Stadium. He was in the outfield, shagging fly balls during batting practice.
In an interview with friend and fellow broadcasting legend Bob Costas in recent years, Uecker said his teammate, Roger Craig, gave him a bit of a dare.
“Why don’t you put that tuba on?” Uecker remembered Craig asking him.
“What’s it going to hurt?” Uecker thought to himself.
Uecker then took it to another level.
Could he catch some balls in it? That’s exactly what he tried. The tuba had no chance. The tuba was damaged with a couple dents, Uecker recalled.
“Next day, it was all over the newspapers,” Uecker said.
His fine? “Cost me $260,” Uecker said.
“After I take them to the World Series, they’re not going to come up with 260 bucks for a tuba,” Uecker said in jest. “That was kind of a disappointment for me. But it was OK.”
The Cardinals lost to the Yankees in that game so maybe the coaching staff wasn’t so amused at the time. But all ended well as Uecker got himself a World Series ring after the Cardinals won in seven games.
Uecker was a little-used catcher on the Cardinals that year and, unlike his broadcasting career, no one will mistake his playing days for greatness, something he often joked about.
During that season, Uecker played in 40 games, had 21 hits and six RBI, one home run and 24 strikeouts in 106 at-bats.
Bob Uecker interview about the tuba incident in 1964
Hear Bob Uecker talk about the time he donned a tuba during the 1964 World Series:
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