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Sunday, January 19, 2025

Mr. Belvedere Passes On - Just a bit outside

 

TRIVIA WINNER: The answer to our most recent question was Dick and Dick Schofield, father and son who played for the Dodgers at age 32. 50 points toward the person's total

NEW TRIVIA CONTEST: You will still be required to enter the drawing as usual. However,  through June 2025 you will get points depending on the complexity of the questions. Enter each week and correct answers will get those points-one guess per person per week. The reader with the most points after June's final column will get a $50 Starbucks Gift Card. Ties will be placed into a drawing. Tell your friends and sports fans who like trivia. We will keep track of your points. - YOU MUST ENTER VIA THE EMAIL AT THE END OF THIS COLUMN.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION:  Name the four players who played catcher and were part of trades involving Bob Uecker (excluding Uecker himself)? TOTAL 20 POINTS

NOTE: While we were safe during the most recent California wildfires, my job as a newscaster in L-A took some precedent over writing a new column. We're back on sked.

Most people loved Bob Uecker and when he passed this journeyman catcher, who was more famous for not playing baseball, was the talk of every baseball conversation. Uke, Bob Uecker was one of the greats. Not on the field but off it.

From his nightclub act where he laughed at his baseball "career," to his tremendous role in Major League the movie, he made people forget Mr. Belvedere. Uecker played George Owens in 118 episodes of the sitcom which ran for five years on ABC, which also starred Christopher Hewett as Lynn Belvedere. He was an English housekeeper who lived with Uecker's family in Pittsburgh. It was not a great sitcom, and Uke was pretty terrible in it. However, maybe it was a training ground.

His comedy act was hilarious and he was in demand on late night TV, such as Carson. He was a hit at functions as a comedian/speaker, but then came Major League. Harry Doyle is one of the most quoted film characters of all time. 

How many times have you, as a sports fan, said "just a bit outside," stretching out that phrase coined by Uke's character, Doyle. Then that great line "Ball eight, Ball Twelve." Hilarious. And he returned in ML 2 to reprise his role.  Where else but in America, can a journeyman low level ballplayer (albeit good defensively) become an international icon on TV and in film, let alone his long broadcast career on radio as one of the most memorable characters in media history.

Bob Uecker was one of a kind and we will miss him. 

TRIVIA CONTEST; Enter via the following email. Send 1) your answer to the trivia question at the top of the column, 2) your name, address and email so where we know where to send the card if you win 3) any comment you have on the column. One winner will be selected at the end of the calendar year based on the total points acquired via weekly contests.

                              brillpro@gmail.com 
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I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my Amazon page or at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA.

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my books after reading this column.
  

Just a note to add; If you look at the top right hand corner of the side bar you will see a link to daily sports scores. We made an agreement with Baseball 24 in a mutual sharing situation. Hope its helpful to fans of several sports.

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