RIP Merle Harmon

[BadgerBeer]

STATEMENT FROM BOB UECKER AND THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ON THE PASSING OF MERLE HARMON



MILWAUKEE – On behalf of the Milwaukee Brewers organization, broadcaster Bob Uecker issued the following statement today on the passing of Merle Harmon:



“Merle was a great friend and a wonderful partner in the booth, and the memories he leaves us with will be cherished forever. His dedication to family and broadcasting were second to none, and I will always be grateful for the latitude and direction he gave to me as I was entering the profession. My heart goes out to his family, and I speak for everyone at the Brewers in saying that this is a very sad day for all of us.”



Harmon, whose career in sports broadcasting spanned 45 years, served as a broadcaster for the franchise from 1970-79. He passed away this afternoon at Arlington (Arlington, Texas) Memorial Hospital at the age of 82.


Merle was always a great guy when I had opportunities to talk. Another great voice from my youth is gone.

 

[old_tony]

Aww, ****, that sucks. A major part of my youth.

My friends and I still repeat some old Bob and Merle bits.

"Hey, Merle buddy, how about some Johnsonville brats?"

On a side note, I just chatted with his son Keith the other day. I hope the funeral is nearby.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Merle was the radio voice of the Jets back in the 1960s "Live from the Big Shea!"

RIP

 

[albert77]

Isn't Mark Harmon (NCIS) his son?

 

[old_tony]

Isn't Mark Harmon (NCIS) his son?

No. Mark Harmon is the son of Tom Harmon, Heisman Trophy winner and former Ram then a longtime sportscaster.

 

[Bubbler]

Damn, damn, damn.

Along with Uecker, he's the voice of my first Brewers memories. My family moved to Texas in the early 80s ... and he moved right with us, becoming the Rangers' TV voice for many years after a short stint at NBC.

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

I still have about 50 pennants or so I bought from the original location at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, among many other things I bought there.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

Big RIP to Merle.

 

[old_tony]

Merle left the Brewers after the 1979 season because he had signed on to be one of NBC's announcers at the 1980 Summer Games. It was the first time in my lifetime that ABC hadn't had the Olympics.

The Brewers wouldn't allow Merle the month away in the heart of a baseball season, and he couldn't pass up working the Olympics. Then, the US boycotted the games. Just an awful confluence of happenings.

Meanwhile, Brewers fans were then subjected to the awful Lorn Brown and then the even-worse Duane Mosely before Pat Hughes arrived in 1984.

Merle was definitely missed.

 

[Bubbler]

Didn't Uecker despise Lorne Brown?

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

On the Kalas thread I said that the day Uecker signed off for the last time would be an incredibly rough one around these parts.

This isn't any easier.

RIP Merle.

And yes, Merle Harmon's Fan Fare was a favorite stop during my trips to Milwaukee as a youth...

 

[old_tony]

Didn't Uecker despise Lorn Brown?

I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised. He didn't last very long anywhere.

Check out this Jimmy Piersall quote from the days in the booth with the White Sox.

“Lorn Brown had a good voice but he was very insecure. Simply put he was an ass kisser. He actually used to drive Bill Veeck home at night, would bring him books to read and things like that. Can you believe that? He didn’t care much for me.”

 

[slappy4428]

Isn't Mark Harmon (NCIS) his son?

You're kidding, right?

 

[Jack_Kerouac]

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

I still have about 50 pennants or so I bought from the original location at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, among many other things I bought there.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

The vast majority of my allowance as a kid went to the same store, Bubbler. And I'm talking the old one, back when there was still an ice rink in the middle and it was located at the west end of the mall. Loved that place.

 

[colonelmustard]

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

The vast majority of my allowance as a kid went to the same store, Bubbler. And I'm talking the old one, back when there was still an ice rink in the middle and it was located at the west end of the mall. Loved that place.

me too, guys-- several hundred miles south at Willowbrook Mall in Houston, TX. when I was a kid, I used to think those stores with all the random team apparel were the coolest thing ever. now I see one and wonder how any of them ever stayed in business.

RIP.

 

[Bubbler]

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

I still have about 50 pennants or so I bought from the original location at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, among many other things I bought there.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

The vast majority of my allowance as a kid went to the same store, Bubbler. And I'm talking the old one, back when there was still an ice rink in the middle and it was located at the west end of the mall. Loved that place.

Long live the Mayfair Bazaar!

I once stepped in one of the creeks they had flowing through Mayfair whilst trying to leap over it. My buddies and I would hit the McDonald's overlooking the ice rink, buy a cheeseburger, and feed it to the ginormous goldfish that were in the "creek".

The 31 (or 21) bus was my conduit to all kinds of Mayfair fun.

Mayfair ruined itself when it renovated into another faceless suburban mall. It rocked the **** with the ice rink, creeks, observation tower, bazaar, etc.

 

[Gutter]

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

I still have about 50 pennants or so I bought from the original location at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, among many other things I bought there.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

The vast majority of my allowance as a kid went to the same store, Bubbler. And I'm talking the old one, back when there was still an ice rink in the middle and it was located at the west end of the mall. Loved that place.

Long live the Mayfair Bazaar!

I once stepped in one of the creeks they had flowing through Mayfair whilst trying to leap over it. My buddies and I would hit the McDonald's overlooking the ice rink, buy a cheeseburger, and feed it to the ginormous goldfish that were in the "creek".

The 31 (or 21) bus was my conduit to all kinds of Mayfair fun.

Mayfair ruined itself when it renovated into another faceless suburban mall. It rocked the **** with the ice rink, creeks, observation tower, bazaar, etc.

It's a bit better now since they've given it a "town center" feel ... doesn't really looking like a mall from the exterior. But the atmosphere has gone to **** ever since they put in the huge movie theater, drawing all kinds of characters.

 

[albert77]

Isn't Mark Harmon (NCIS) his son?

You're kidding, right?

Actually, I wasn't, but it turned out to just be a brain fart. A senior moment.

 

[friend of a friend]

I thought it said RIP Merle Norman.

Carry on.

 

[Trouser_Buddah]

Uecker visited the television booth for an inning tonight and told a story about Harmon.

When Uecker started out, he was a color guy, but they'd make him do play-by-play for an inning. He had never done that before, so he would spend the inning chatting to Harmon and Tom Collins, who hung around the booth.

I think he said it was at Yankee Stadium, but suddenly Harmon and Collins got up and walked out, and Uecker hit the cough button, begging Harmon and Collins to come back so he had someone to 'talk to'... An out had been made before the producer convinced Uecker to say something.

It's funny to think of a time when Uecker was nervous behind the mic...

The fun they used to have in that booth. Simpler times...

 

[Freelance Hack]

Merle got a lot of my money too. He had a midwestern franchise of sports apparel places in the 80s and 90s ... Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

I still have about 50 pennants or so I bought from the original location at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, among many other things I bought there.

It was probably my favorite store of all-time ... waaay ahead of its time as far as the level of product and the amount of teams they carried.

Big RIP to Merle.

Bought my first jersey -- a 1988-era Red Sox road Clemens -- at a Merle Harmon's many, many moons ago. Still have it in my closet and it still looks good.

RIP, indeed.

 

[pallister]

Merle Harmon's Fan Fare.

That's where I recognized that name from.