Bucks crowd root-root-roots for Bob Uecker in tribute to Brewers' legend
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It’s not often that you hear “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in an NBA arena. But the Milwaukee Bucks brought the ballpark staple to Fiserv Forum Friday as part of an extended tribute to Bob Uecker, the Milwaukee Brewers’ iconic broadcaster who died Thursday.
"Root root root for the Brewers,” the crowd sang as Uecker loomed above on the Jumbotron, leading the chorus in a pre-recorded video. The song capped the tribute to Uecker, a Baseball Hall of Famer who was on the mic for Brewers games for 54 seasons.
“I was at a funeral, and the preacher was talking about the dash, you know, whatever, the day you were born, and then the day you die, and the dash in the middle,” coach Doc Rivers said before the game against the Toronto Raptors. “When you think about Ueck, he filled the dash as much as any human being ever alive. And that’s pretty cool to do. We all should try to do that.”
Bucks’ fans, most of whom also cheer for the Brewers, appreciated the gesture. Brandon Peace, 22, attended the game in his native Milwaukee wearing a Giannis Antetokounmpo jersey and got emotional seeing the Bucks’ tribute.
“That was, of course, something very special,” said Peace, a college baseball player. “Bob Uecker is obviously a staple here in Wisconsin, especially Milwaukee. I mean, he’s everything that explains Milwaukee sports and Wisconsin sports in general. So hearing that at the Bucks game, it meant a lot.”
The Bucks dominated their first game since Uecker’s death in a wire-to-wire 130-112 win over the Toronto Raptors.
“We did it for him tonight,” forward Bobby Portis said about Uecker after the game while sending his condolences to the Uecker and Brewers’ families.
The win was the sixth in seven games for the surging Bucks, who’ve ridden hot starts to easy victories in three home games this week.
Combined, they outscored the Kings, Magic and Raptors 118-64 in the first quarter, using a lockdown defense to force the teams into a combined 33.6% shooting in the first frame. In each game, the Bucks sustained the big early leads, coasting to victory.
Up next: Philadelphia 76ers at home on Sunday.
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