Bruce Froming Major League Baseball According to the Associated Press, the referee, who had a career spanning nearly four decades and participated in more than 5,000 games, passed away at the age of 86.
Froming died after a fall at her home in Macon on Wednesday. Wisconsinhis son Steven told The Associated Press. He fell and hit his head on the hardwood floor just after midnight Tuesday and was taken to Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee.
Doctors were unable to stop the brain bleed because Fromin was taking blood thinners, his son said.
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Nearly 40 years in the major leagues
In 1958, at the age of 18, Fromin began his career as a minor league umpire, starting with a game in Waterloo. Iowa. After more than ten years of hard work, he joined the National League umpiring staff in 1971. He then became a member of the unified major league umpiring staff in 2000.
By the time he retired in 2007, Fromin had played 5,163 games: second most in MLB history at the time, behind only Bill Klem.
Both were eventually surpassed by Joe West, who played 5,460 games before retiring in 2021.
Shortly before leaving the field, Froming reflected on his early years in an interview with The Associated Press, saying, “I thought I was in heaven, on the field, a professional athlete, and I was starting my career.” He noted that reaching the major leagues once felt so far away because “you had to go through the minor leagues to get your chance.”
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He also talked about patience being a key quality for referees, adding, “You’re going to make mistakes early on.”
Record-setting no-hitter and World Series
Fromming recorded 11 no-hitters in his career.
One of the most memorable was on September 2, 1972, when Milt Pappas of the Chicago Cubs nearly missed a perfect game after a late walk.
He also had a no-hitter for Nolan Ryan and others and went to the World Series five times.
After retiring, Froming served as special assistant to Major League Baseball’s vice president of umpiring.
He is survived by his wife Rosemary, two sons and grandchildren.
