Longtime MLB umpire Bruce Froemming, who worked the third-most games in league history and a record 11 no-hitters, died Wednesday in Milwaukee, his son Steven confirmed to the Associated Press.
He was 86.
Froemming struck his head during a fall at his Mequon, Wisc., home on Tuesday night, and doctors failed to stop the bleeding in his brain due to blood thinners he was taking, according to his son.
Known for his loud, distinctive strike call, Froemming umpired 37 consecutive seasons from 1971-2007 in the majors, working a total of 5,163 games, trailing only Bill Klem (5,373) and Joe West (5,460).
Froemming briefly pursued a semi-professional playing career, but ultimately started umpiring at age 18, working his way through the minor leagues, at times making $250 a month, before reaching the National League in 1971.
“Every game to me is important,” Froemming told NPR after he umpired his 5,000th career contest in 2006. “You know and I learned early on it’s not the level of play that you’re umpiring or officiating, it’s how you attack the sport as an official. And every game is important. It’s important to somebody. It’s important to the people that are playing, no matter at what level.
“You may think you’ve got a B game or a game that’s not important. To those kids or people that are playing it, it is important. So every game that you work you have to work at a high level.”
During his nearly four-decade career, Froemming often found himself at the forefront of some of the most memorable moments and skirmishes in MLB history.
On Sept. 2, 1972, Froemming was behind the plate for an afternoon Cubs-Padres game at Wrigley Field as three-time All-Star pitcher Milt Pappas closed in on a perfect game. With pinch-hitter Larry Stahl representing the final out, Froemming called a close 3-2 pitch ball four, ending Pappas’ bid for perfection.
While Pappas retired the next hitter to complete a no-hitter, the right-handed pitcher was upset by Froemming’s call, which remained a source of controversy.
“The word ‘close’ came in,” Froemming told MLB.com in 2016 about the call, shortly after Pappas’ passing. “The pitches were ‘close.’ I said: ‘To me, this is my perception about umpiring. It’s a ball or a strike; it’s not “close.” I’ve got it a ball or a strike.’
“When that came up the next day — ‘You could have given it to him, it was close’ — I said, ‘I’m an umpire, not a fan. I called what I saw.’”
Froemming worked 10 more no-hitters during his career, and was behind home plate for three of them: Ed Halicki (1975), Nolan Ryan (1981) and José Jiménez (1999).
The Milwaukee native was involved in a bevy of melees during his career, including working as the second base umpire during Game 3 of the 1973 National League Championship series at Shea Stadium when Bud Harrelson and Pete Rose fought near the bag.
More than three decades later, Froemming was working the plate at Fenway Park on July 24, 2004, when Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek shoved his glove into Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez’s face, inciting a brawl.
Not shy about giving anyone the hook, Froemming also recorded 125 career ejections, good for the 13th most all-time. Perhaps none were as memorable as him ejecting Yankees manager Billy Martin in Game 4 of the 1976 World Series.
The Yankees skipper chucked a baseball toward home plate in the ninth inning with Froemming at first base during first of five Fall Classics he’d work in his career.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Froemming asked Martin, according to a 1985 Los Angeles Times story.
“None of your f–king business!” Martin reportedly shot back before his ejection.
During his final season in 2007, Froemming drew the ire of then-Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for not delaying Game 2 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Indians after midges swarmed inside Jacobs Field.
“The umpire was full of [expletive],” Steinbrenner said of Froemming, who served as the crew chief. “He won’t umpire our games anymore.”
MLB stood by Froemming, who said Steinbrenner was “entitled” to his opinion, as the Yankees dropped the series to Cleveland in four games.
“He loved the fact that baseball was like a fraternity,” his son Steven told The Athletic. “You argued like hell on the field, and after the game was over, you left it at the stadium, and it was a new day tomorrow.”
After his retirement, Froemming worked as a special assistant to MLB’s vice president on umpiring.
Froemming is survived by his wife, Rosemarie, whom he married in 1957; two sons, Steven and Kevin; sister Cathy Seizer; half-brother Johnny Froemming; and two grandchildren, Nicolas and Christopher.
With Post wires
