The Milwaukee Brewers finally have their first World Series championship, but Christian Yelich had someone on his mind moments after the final out Wednesday night.
Milwaukee defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5, ending a wait that stretched back to the franchise’s arrival in Wisconsin. As the Brewers celebrated at Tropicana Field, Yelich was asked about Bob Uecker, the beloved broadcaster who spent more than five decades calling their games and died before seeing the team reach the top.
Christian Yelich Delivers Emotional Bob Uecker Message After World Series
During an on-field interview with FOX’s Ken Rosenthal, Yelich was asked what Uecker would have been thinking as Milwaukee celebrated its first championship. ESPN shared the exchange shortly after the Brewers clinched the title.
“Oh, man, he’s smiling,” Yelich said. “I really wish he could have been here to see this. It would have meant everything to him.”
The Brewers captain then turned his answer into a personal message for the man he had come to know as a close friend.
“Like I said a bunch — he’s been with us a lot and we keep him close to our heart. This one’s still for Bob and still for Ueck. Uecky, I love you, man. We did it.”
Uecker died Jan. 16, 2025, at age 90 after battling small-cell lung cancer. He had been the radio voice of the Brewers since 1971, staying with the club through decades of losing seasons, division titles and near misses.
Milwaukee had reached the World Series only once before Wednesday, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982. This year’s team won 103 regular-season games, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series and finished the postseason 11-2.
The title came one night after the Brewers blew a lead in the bottom of the 12th inning of Game 4. They responded behind Jacob Misiorowski’s 5 2/3 scoreless innings and two RBIs from rookie Cooper Pratt before Trevor Megill secured the final out.
Bob Uecker Remained Part of Brewers’ World Series Run
Yelich and Uecker’s relationship went well beyond the ballpark microphone. After Milwaukee’s heartbreaking 2024 playoff elimination against the New York Mets, Yelich fought back tears while talking about a private conversation with Uecker. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Curt Hogg reported that Yelich considered speaking with his friend the hardest part of that night.
That was Uecker’s final season behind the microphone. When the Brewers returned to the field in 2025, they wore a tribute patch honoring him, and Yelich arrived at the season opener in a plaid suit, a nod to Uecker’s signature wardrobe.
The team carried that connection into this World Series. During a Stand Up To Cancer tribute in Game 4, Brewers players held signs bearing the same name: “Ueck.”
MLB.com’s Alyson Footer and Adam McCalvy reported that Yelich said earlier in the Series that Uecker had always wanted to see Milwaukee win a championship and that the club was trying to carry him along for the ride.
Uecker’s family also sent the team and its fans a message before the Fall Classic, expressing pride in what Milwaukee had accomplished and the wish that he could have been there to witness it.
Wednesday finally brought the moment Uecker had spent so many seasons waiting for. And as the champagne celebrations began, Yelich made sure his longtime friend remained part of them. The Brewers finally had their moment, even without the familiar voice that had accompanied so many others.
Brewers’ Christian Yelich Sends Emotional Bob Uecker Message After World Series