For a backup catcher with limited physical talent, Bob Uecker enjoyed a larger-than-life career in baseball and beyond – thanks in large part to his uncanny ability to laugh at himself.

Uecker, a baseball icon, television and film comedian and radio announcer for the Hall of Fame Milwaukee Brewers, died Thursday at age 90 after a “private battle with small cell lung cancer,” his family said in a statement.

“Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his death is a profound loss,” the team said in a statement. “He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend.” . Bob loved people; His presence warmed any room and he had a way of welcoming us all into his world as if we were lifelong friends.