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Vince Lombardi foundation remembers impact of Mr. Baseball

Gary Monreal, chairperson for the Lombardi Foundation Golf Classic, said Uecker's support for cancer research began decades before he was diagnosed with the disease himself.
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So many people who were entertained and enlightened by the man dubbed "Mr. Baseball" are a little bit sadder after news of his passing.

That includes the many foundations and organizations Bob Uecker supported throughout his lifetime, like the Vince Lombardi Research Foundation.

Gary Monreal, chairperson for the Lombardi Foundation Golf Classic, said Uecker's support for cancer research began decades before he was diagnosed with the disease himself.

"What he did for us—we never could have thanked him enough for what he brought to our organization," Monreal told TMJ4.

Year after year, supporters of the Lombardi Foundation's golf classic could find Uecker's familiar face on the fairway.

"It was amazing to have Bob Uecker there," said Monreal. "He fits into that group of legends."

He told TMJ4 he saw firsthand Uecker's impact on the annual event and the people there.

"Always talking to them, joking around, taking photos, doing autographs—anything he could do to further our mission that this was a great event, Bob was involved in."

Watch: Vince Lombardi foundation remembers impact of Mr. Baseball

Vince Lombardi foundation remembers impact of Mr. Baseball

As his impact on the organization deepened over the years, Uecker was inducted into their Award of Excellence Hall of Fame in 2015—a choice the foundation called a "no-brainer."

"It wasn't a hard decision," Monreal said. "Every year for the Award of Excellence, we look for someone that has given back to not only the foundation but to the community, and Bob’s reach to Milwaukee and Wisconsin went much further than that."

Uecker's dedication to supporting cancer research took on a new meaning when his family revealed the broadcast legend was fighting his own battle with small cell lung cancer for the past year.

"To have people like Bob say 'I'm there for you and I will help you,' and for him to experience some of the downfall of that disease, it drives the rest of us that knew him, and knew others like him, to say we have to keep the momentum going for it, we have to keep the charge."

As memories surface and memorials grow in the Milwaukee giant's honor, those who had the pleasure of working alongside him say his mark on the world will only continue.

"We are gonna carry Bob's legacy for as long as we keep this foundation."


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