section_path: Playing career
section_name: Playing career
paragraph_text: Playing career
  
  After his Army service, Uecker signed a professional contract with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956. With the Braves organization, Uecker played in the minor leagues. In his first season, he played in with the Eau Claire Bears in the Northern League and Boise Braves in the Pioneer League. Between both of the clubs, he hit 19 home runs.
  
  Uecker made his major league debut with the club on April 13, 1962. He served as their third-string catcher behind Joe Torre and Del Crandall; Uecker batted.250 in 33 games. He appeared in nine games for the Braves in 1963 before he was demoted to the minor leagues. Before the 1964 season, the Braves traded Uecker to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor leaguers Jimmie Coker and Gary Kolb. He seldom played for the Cardinals, but was a member of the 1964 World Series champions with the Cardinals. After the 1965 season, the Cardinals traded Uecker, Dick Groat, and Bill White to the Philadelphia Philles for Pat Corrales, Alex Johnson, and Art Mahaffey. On June 6, 1967, the Phillies traded Uecker back to the Braves, now based in Atlanta, for Gene Oliver. His six-year major league career concluded in 1967.
  
  A below-average hitter, he finished with a career batting average of.200, retroactively at the Mendoza Line, though with four of his seasons ending above.200. He was generally considered to be a sound defensive player and committed very few errors as a catcher, completing his career with a fielding percentage of.981. However, in 1967, despite playing only 59 games, he led the league in passed balls. At least a partial explanation is that he spent a good deal of the season catching Phil Niekro, who threw a knuckleball. Uecker often joked that the best way to catch a knuckleball was to wait until it stopped rolling and pick it up.
  
  After his Army service, Uecker signed a professional contract with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956. With the Braves organization, Uecker played in the minor leagues. In his first season, he played in with the Eau Claire Bears in the Northern League and Boise Braves in the Pioneer League. Between both of the clubs, he hit 19 home runs.
  
  Uecker made his major league debut with the club on April 13, 1962. He served as their third-string catcher behind Joe Torre and Del Crandall; Uecker batted.250 in 33 games. He appeared in nine games for the Braves in 1963 before he was demoted to the minor leagues. Before the 1964 season, the Braves traded Uecker to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor leaguers Jimmie Coker and Gary Kolb. He seldom played for the Cardinals, but was a member of the 1964 World Series champions with the Cardinals. After the 1965 season, the Cardinals traded Uecker, Dick Groat, and Bill White to the Philadelphia Philles for Pat Corrales, Alex Johnson, and Art Mahaffey. On June 6, 1967, the Phillies traded Uecker back to the Braves, now based in Atlanta, for Gene Oliver. His six-year major league career concluded in 1967.
  
  A below-average hitter, he finished with a career batting average of.200, retroactively at the Mendoza Line, though with four of his seasons ending above.200. He was generally considered to be a sound defensive player and committed very few errors as a catcher, completing his career with a fielding percentage of.981. However, in 1967, despite playing only 59 games, he led the league in passed balls. At least a partial explanation is that he spent a good deal of the season catching Phil Niekro, who threw a knuckleball. Uecker often joked that the best way to catch a knuckleball was to wait until it stopped rolling and pick it up.