Ralph Kiner, on New York City’s Channel 9. (From mediabistro.com)

The universe conspired on the day of America’s birthday party to urge me to build this gift of recognition to the voices that help mark our lives.

As you saw in my post yesterday, we took Ellie B to march in the Manlius Fourth of July parade with the group from The Dog Gone Inn. As our dear dog kept perfect pace past the judges stand, we were all treated to the words of parade MC Doug Logan. If you follow me on Facebook, you saw in the afternoon that I was happy that Ralph Kiner shared his views on SportsNet New York with Keith Hernandez and Gary Cohen. During the 15-inning, roller-coasting wonder between my Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks, I tried to catch up to last week’s Sports Illustrated, which included a marvelous piece on Milwaukee Brewers radio legend Bob Uecker.

Kiner and Uecker are national baseball treasures. No arguing allowed.

Kiner was a home run hitter with enough clout to make the Hall of Fame. During his career, he was famous enough to marry tennis star Nancy Chaffee, catapulting him further into America’s imagination.

But I remember Ralph as the sometimes tongue-twisted member of the Mets’ original broadcasting trio, with Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson. Ralph was the guy who got to host the Channel 9 post-game show. He had to. “Kiner’s Korner” was named after him.

There was no doubt that Kiner knew baseball then. Yesterday, he worked through his slightly slowed speech to impart the fact that he knows baseball now, too.

Milwaukee’s best. (From bobeucker.com)

Uecker played in the major leagues, too. But the catcher was far from a star on the field.

He was, however, a big personality after his playing days. Acted on “Mr. Belvedere.” Talked frequently on the couch of Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show.” Played the outlandish radio announcer in “Major League” and its sequel. Pitch man in beer commercials known for poking fun at his nosebleed seats.

In Milwaukee, though, Uecker spins his tales on the radio.

As the SI story so ably demonstrates, he says whatever pops into his mind. Sunscreen is a good condiment for chicken sausage. Use the No. 30. He really delivered that one.

Doug Logan with Central New York sports … (From syracusehalloffame.com)

Logan’s star, though, was brightest right here in the Syracuse area. He did radio work for the University of Virginia before coming north to become the voice of the Syracuse Orange. Logan also gave Central New York the sports news nightly on Channel 9. He moved to Time Warner Cable of Central New York.

That resonant voice earned Logan his spot in the Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

He’ll take the mike for special events these days. At the Blind Men and Criers annual banquet this year, Logan was as funny as Uecker, in his own dry way. At the parade yesterday, he was as confident as Kiner as he talked about the doggy day care center and rescue group that were passing in tandem past his MC stand.

To hear Kiner and Logan made me smile. The thought of Uecker’s voice made me laugh.

They are forever a part of my life.

Well done, sirs. Thank you.

You have some voices to the soundtrack to your life that you’d like to thank, too, don’t you?