NEWS RELEASE

In honor of Bruce Froemming, the longest tenured Major League Baseball umpire for consecutive service, Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida officially named its umpire room the “Bruce Froemming Umpire Room” today, according to Craig Callan, Vice President, Historic Dodgertown.

Froemming learned of the honor when Callan made the surprise announcement during the Florida Spring Training meeting for 100 minor league umpires at the Jackie Robinson Room at Historic Dodgertown. Ed Rapuano, a MLB Umpire Supervisor, opened the meeting and read numerous congratulatory notes to Froemming from past umpiring peers after Callan’s announcement. A biography and photos of him adorn the walls in the “Bruce Froemming Umpire Room” and a sign was placed on the exterior door.

Upon his 2007 retirement, Froemming had 37 full seasons of consecutive service, the most in MLB history. Besides Hall of Famer Bill Klem, Froemming is only the second umpire to work more than 5,000 major league games.

“This is well-deserved recognition of Bruce’s extraordinary career and now and forever he will have his name on the umpire room,” said Peter O’Malley, Historic Dodgertown Chairman. “Bruce had the respect of players and fellow umpires. We first connected when I was Dodgertown camp director in the early 1960’s and Bruce was a minor league umpire in the Northwest League. We’ve been friends for a long time.”

Dodger President Walter O’Malley encouraged National League umpire Al Barlick to allow Froemming, then a minor league umpire, to work behind home plate for a 1970 major league exhibition game at Holman Stadium. After that game, Washington Manager Ted Williams praised Froemming for his excellent work.

Froemming’s first season in the N.L. was 1971. He umpired five World Series (1976, 1984, 1988, 1990 and 1995) and a record 11 major league no-hitters. He was first base umpire for Dennis Martinez’s perfect game at Dodger Stadium in 1991. Froemming’s 111 career postseason games worked are the most in baseball history.