Since its inception over 103 years ago, baseball play-by-play has become a cherished slice of Americana. Children grow up listening to and watching their favorite teams, sharing in the experience of our national pastime. Legendary voices stand in the shadow of Harold Arlin, who called the very first baseball play-by-play broadcast on KDKA in 1921, paving the way for household names like Caray, Harwell, Scully, Kalas, and Uecker. Baseball fans, often without realizing it, welcome perfect strangers into their homes and lives through their love of the sport.
However, no matter how many wins or losses your favorite team may accumulate, father time remains undefeated. For the Milwaukee Brewers, father time took broadcaster Bob Uecker from baseball earlier this year at the age of 90. Uecker was a dynamic personality with deep baseball acumen and extraordinary comedic timing. Former Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames described him as “the spirit of Milwaukee,” a spirit that may never be duplicated or replaced.
Uecker called games for the Brewers for 54 seasons and was a well-known broadcaster, actor, pitchman, Hall of Famer, and a regular on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. No other voice in baseball carried the unique resume or legacy that Uecker did. Now, the challenge moving forward is how the next person tasked with calling Brewers games can maintain the connection that Uecker held for over half a century.
“It’s really hard to be a Major League broadcaster,” said Philadelphia Phillies play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy, offering advice to the next radio voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. “When you try to be somebody other than yourself, you’ve made that job 100 times harder.”
Lessons Learned: Following Harry Kalas (Philadelphia Phillies)
McCarthy is currently in his seventeenth year of his second stint with the Phillies, serving as the lead play-by-play announcer for the team’s television broadcasts. After a brief tenure as the play-by-play voice of the New York Mets, McCarthy returned to Philadelphia to work alongside Harry Kalas. The 2002 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Kalas called Phillies games from 1971 until his passing in 2009.
While McCarthy knew he would likely be the heir apparent to Kalas’ legendary role, his opportunity arrived sooner than expected when Kalas passed away unexpectedly in April 2009.
“Unfortunately, a year into me being the middle guy on TV and doing sideline reporting, Harry passed away,” McCarthy recalled. “We had to go on the air that day, which, to this day, is the toughest broadcast I’ve ever had to do.”
Lessons Learned: Following Dave Wills (Tampa Bay Rays)
Tampa Bay Rays radio play-by-play announcer Andy Freed can relate to McCarthy’s experience. In 2023, following a spring training game between the Rays and the New York Yankees, his broadcast partner of 18 seasons, Dave Wills, passed away the next morning.
“Our situation was a little bit different than Uecker’s,” said Freed. “Certainly, one of my best friends in the world died—my work partner for 18 years—and then the question was, what happens next?”
As news of Wills’ passing spread, the Tampa Bay Rays decided not to broadcast that afternoon’s game, though the game itself went on as scheduled. The decision regarding the future of the broadcast team was made quickly, offering a sense of stability during an otherwise chaotic and emotional time.
“I never felt pressure,” Freed explained. “Having the owner, Stuart Sternberg, come to you and say, ‘This is what we’d like it to be if you’re OK with that,’ removed any sense of pressure. I never felt like I had to replace Dave because I never felt in competition with him to begin with. The hardest part was dealing with the personal loss.”
For both McCarthy and Freed, the challenges they faced were immediate and emotional—stepping into the shoes of a beloved voice just hours after their passing.
“The day Harry passed away was really emotional, unbelievably emotional,” McCarthy said. “I was exhausted, I was emotional, and I tried to play it really straight on the air when that happened.”
Freed described his own emotional journey as he returned to the air following Wills’ passing.
“I don’t know how to be someone else on the air,” said Freed. “I cried when we did the tribute to him, and I cried when I had to make a speech for him. That whole year was such a blur.”
In both instances, there was no time to prepare for the daunting task of maintaining the bond between fan and broadcaster. With Uecker’s passing occurring in January, there is, unfortunately, more time to prepare for the transition to the next voice of the Brewers.
Lessons Learned: Following Vin Scully (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Los Angeles Dodgers play-by-play voice Joe Davis had that same advantage when Vin Scully retired. The 1982 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, Scully called Dodgers games from 1950 until his retirement in 2016 at age 88. Davis, initially responsible for calling road games, was elevated to the lead role following Scully’s departure.
“What a cool responsibility this is,” said Davis. “I try to look at that as this amazing chance and this amazing responsibility to be that guy. As opposed to either you don’t take it out of fear of it not working, or ‘oh my gosh’ there’s a ton of pressure in this.”
Scully remained involved with the Dodgers following his retirement, making appearances at games and lending his voice to team projects. While some called for him to return to the booth during the Dodgers’ 2017 World Series run, Davis approached the broadcast by studying what made Scully’s storytelling resonate with fans.
“I think he’s (Scully) the greatest storyteller that’s ever done the job,” remarked Davis. “I think human nature is we like to hear stories. So, taking first of all his lead and then second of all seeing why people loved it as much as they did. Trying to apply that aspect of his broadcast to mine, and you know I will never will be at the level that he was at that. But having an appreciation for the storytelling is probably the biggest thing that I took from him.”
Honoring The Legacy Of Mr. Baseball
If the saying is true that heroes get remembered, but legends never die, then stepping into the booth as the next voice of the Milwaukee Brewers can seem daunting. Uecker was Milwaukee—born and raised. He was the voice of generations of Brewers baseball fans, embodying the blue-collar identity of the ‘Brew Crew.’
“In a way that a sports team like the Brewers can put Milwaukee, or the Packers can put Green Bay on the national map. I think Uecker did that for the Brewers,” Freed stated. “A Milwaukee Brewer announcer would’ve never been in on the Tonight Show, or Miller like commercials, or Mr. Belvedere without the abilities of Bob Uecker.”
Uecker transcended the radio booth in Milwaukee, earning the title “Mr. Baseball” from the late Johnny Carson. From his roles in the Major League films to his famous Miller Lite tagline, “I must be in the front row,” his larger-than-life personality was as iconic as his plaid suits.
“You knew that he (Uecker) was embracing the opportunity to be at the ballpark and to be the voice of a team, which is an incredible honor for any of us,” said McCarthy. “When you saw him at the ballpark, those cheeks were so plump with a smile that you could it was contagious.”
As time continues to march forward, there are lessons to be learned from those who have navigated similar challenges. If there is one piece of advice for the next voice of the Milwaukee Brewers, it is this:
“You could take the things that you like from the announcers that you admire, but don’t lose yourself and allow yourself to come through,” advised Davis.
Freed echoed this sentiment, adding, “Remember that you’re talking to fans that have had a relationship with Bob (Uecker) going back to the early 70s if not even earlier than that then when he played with the Milwaukee Braves. Bottom line. The team is the most important thing.”
With just over three weeks until Opening Day, the first Brewers season without Bob Uecker looms. Fifty-four seasons of “Get up! Get up! Get outta here! Gone!” are gone themselves, but never forgotten. It will be a season of new calls, new memories, and new voices entertaining Brewers fans across the country—a new chapter ready for its first pitch.
“Understand that like with Harry (Kalas) with me, Bob’s proud of you,” said McCarthy. “And that’s really a great thing that he’s passing the torch on to you to be the next generation of Milwaukee Brewers broadcasters.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
John Mamola is a columnist for Barrett Media. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. Honored to be a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Media and honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL). Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
