UPDATE (7/5/18): Uecker is still out with a scratched eye, though Levering says he has been at Miller Park the past few days, “hanging out” and “telling stories.”
UPDATE (7/3/18): According to Levering, Uecker is still “under the weather” with his eye injury, and will hopefully be back on the air Wednesday.
Monday night’s matchup of the Milwaukee Brewers and the Minnesota Twins at Miller Park was notable for several reasons. There was home plate umpire Doug Eddings and his phantom tipped ball, leading to a Twins run in the third inning. There was the Brewers surrendering a grand slam (for the third consecutive game) to put them at a deficit in the fifth. There was the Brewers tying things up in the ninth. There was Brad Miller drawing a walk in the 10th and securing a 6-5 win for the Crew.
And yes, there was Brewers broadcasting legend Bob Uecker disappearing mid-broadcast because of a contact lens injury. Apparently.
About halfway through the game, play-by-play announcer/Uecker straight man Jeff Levering revealed that Mr. Baseball would be “on assignment” for the rest of the night, tending to an eye injury suffered from a contact lens. Ouch! Regular road game announcer Lane Grindle took over for the ailing Ueck.
“Bob Uecker will be back tomorrow,” Levering later assured listeners. Beyond that, the details of Uecker’s injuries were left unsaid. Only shadowy producer Kent Sommerfeld knows for sure.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Haudricourt had this to say about the incident:
A scratched eye on a contact lens, I believe. He will be fine. https://t.co/6bLCsHCqWB
— Tom (@Haudricourt) July 3, 2018
Prior to the 2018 season, Uecker, 84, survived a venomous spider bite while changing a lightbulb and wearing shorts, so there’s no reason to think a scratched eye will keep him out for long. Tune in Tuesday at 3:10 p.m. for game two of the Brewers-Twins series, and for what’s sure to be a doozy of a story from the man himself.