A memory from Youth Associate Mary W:
The legend Bob Uecker passed away this week, on January 16. Though I knew this day was inevitable, it still hurts.
Most of us would say Bob’s voice was the soundtrack of summer. Backyard barbecues, camping trips, bonfires, and car rides with the wind in our hair were all set to the sweet sound of his unforgettable “GET UP-GET UP-GET-OUTTA-HERE-GOOOONE" call radiating from the speakers. Bob helped us fall in love with baseball (insert Moneyball quote here, “How can you not be romantic about baseball?!”).
But how many of us can say that Bob is the reason they fell in love with books? I can.
When I was a kid, my dad would go outside after supper and read on the back patio. First, it was the newspaper, then he’d move on to whatever book he was working through. After he was done, he’d turn on the radio to see how the Brewers were doing. I was too busy playing with my brother to really notice, but it was part of our daily routine for years.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I noticed him reading out back like always, but this time he was laughing. I mean, really laughing. Out loud! I HAD to see what he was reading. I was surprised to see that it was an old, tattered paperback copy of Catcher in the Wry by Bob Uecker. “The baseball guy?!” I asked as I saw him in stitches. He explained that it was a hilarious book of stories about baseball written by our favorite radio personality. It blew my 15-year-old mind that a famous person could write such a book. I immediately ran to the Beloit public library (where we lived) to get a copy. After supper, for the next few weeks, we went out to the back patio and read near each other. I will never forget falling in love with every story, and bonding with my dad over Bob’s wit, humility and famous self-deprecating humor. I can only hope that when Bob got to the afterlife, he pushed through to the front of the crowd saying, “Must be in the front row!” High fiving my dad on the way.
To this day, memoirs are my favorite genre. I have read hundreds of them, but none have compared to that first experience with Mr. Baseball. In case you’re wondering, the book is now out of print, and a used copy will cost you over $100! You’re in luck, though! We do have one copy in our collection. I have checked it out and re-read it several times. It has been mended, including a new cover. No matter its condition, I hope it never gets weeded out. If it does, you’ll have to fight me for it at the Friends of HPL used book sale 😊
Did you know that a great way to bond with your teen is to read the same book? Not only will you have a lot to chat about - it might create a lasting memory.
Mary Westness and her family visited American Family Field to pay their respects.