'Major League' stars Charlie Sheen, Bob Uecker reunite for California Strong event

Charlie Sheen may be a famous award-winning actor, but the best compliment he ever received was this week by Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker.

Uecker, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, former major-league catcher, comedian and actor himself, appeared with Sheen in the movie, "Major League." They were reminiscing about the 1989 classic in a Facetime call with Sheen and former Brewers All-Star outfielder Ryan Braun.

Uecker reminded Sheen of spending time together on the movie set, enjoying beers and talking about acting, but he never had the opportunity to pay tribute to another of Sheen’s skills.

Sheen may have been Ricky "Wild Thing," Vaughn in the movie, but Uecker was thoroughly impressed with Sheen’s pitching ability.

"I tell everybody, 'Charlie Sheen can throw a ball,'" Uecker told Sheen. "You surprised a lot of baseball people with the way you threw, you really did."

Sheen momentarily looked away, embarrassed, but Uecker continued: "I’m not kidding. That was impressive."

Braun described Sheen as being "taken aback and really appreciative of the comment from Ueck. I could tell he really felt a sense of pride hearing that from him."

On Saturday night, Uecker and Sheen wil be on the big screen again — at a drive-in movie theater in Malibu, Calif. — raising money for California Strong, a non-profit organization that started after the devastating California wildfires in 2018. Uecker will be providing a video while Sheen will be at the theater in person, complete with a question-and-answer session.

Sheen says Vaughn "is bringing the heater."

Braun, who has not officially retired but is staying home with his family after a 14-year career, founded California Strong with Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, Brewers executive Mike Attanasio, Cincinnati Reds infielder Mike Moustakas and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

They had celebrity softball games the first two years, raising $2.6 million, but with COVID-19 preventing another celebrity game, they came up with the idea to raise money by going Hollywood.

And what better movie to entertain baseball fans than "Major League" and playing it an old-fashioned drive-in theater, Calamigos Ranch?

So just when was the last time Attanasio went to a drive-in theater?

"Uh," Attanasio, 29, says, "that would be never."

And what about 37-year-old Braun?

"Maybe when I was 11, 12," he says. "All I know is that it’s been a long, long time.

"This will be nostalgic."

The days of paying $5 for a family of five to watch a movie in their station wagon may be over, but for $300 per car (VIP lot) and $150 (general admission), fans will have a chance to speak with Sheen and be entertained by Uecker — all for a good cause.

"We had to come up with creative ideas that could work in light of the pandemic to do a charity fundraiser," Braun said. "We couldn’t do the softball game, so we got creative, and this sounded like a fun idea with a movie, and obviously with our connection to Euck and Charlie Sheen being so supportive of our charities, this just felt like a natural fit."

Next year, they hope to be back on the softball field, with the foundation ready to help the next time there’s a natural disaster or tragedy.

"Unfortunately and inevitably there will be further natural disasters and tragedies that occur in the state," Braun said. "And we need to have money in our reserves so we can act as quickly as possible and support people when that happens. It’s enabled us to have a far greater impact than we could have ever imagined, positively impacting as many lives as possible in times of need.

"The goal is to do this in perpetuity."

Said Attanasio: "There isn’t a disaster, per se, right now, but we’re just hoping to replenish our fund-raising so that when the next tragic event or disaster occurs, we’ll be ready."

Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Major League' stars Charlie Sheen, Bob Uecker help California Strong