Uecker was a back-up catcher for the Cardinals team that went to the World Series in 1964. Before the first game, he was shagging balls in the outfield during batting practice. A brass band was playing in the stands. To keep his teammates loose, Uecker borrowed a tuba from the band, and he started catching fly balls with the tuba. His teammates thought it was hilarious. It wasn't so funny a few days later, however, when the tuba player sent the Cardinals a bill for all the damage those fly balls had done to his tuba. Only Uecker.
