For nearly four decades, Bruce Froemming was one of the most familiar figures in Major League Baseball.
Videos by FanBuzz
The Hall of Fame remembers Bruce Froemming, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 86.
Froemming, an umpire from 1971 to 2007, was on the field for a record 11 no-hitters and worked 5,163 games, which ranks third all-time. pic.twitter.com/QXTCSNvL73
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) February 27, 2026
The longtime umpire, who worked thousands of games and stood behind the plate for a record 11 no-hitters, has died at the age of 86.
According to his son Steven, Froemming fell at his home in Mequon, Wisconsin, and struck his head. He was taken to a hospital in Milwaukee, where doctors were unable to stop bleeding on his brain due to blood thinners he had been taking.
Froemming's baseball journey began humbly.
He started umpiring in the minor leagues in 1958 at just 18 years old, working his way up through the system before joining the National League staff in 1971. Over time he became one of the sport's most durable officials, eventually working 5,163 major league games before retiring in 2007.
At the time, that was the second-most games ever umpired in MLB history.
Along the way, Froemming found himself in the middle of some unforgettable moments. He was behind the plate for no-hitters thrown by pitchers like Nolan Ryan and José Jiménez, and he worked five World Series during his long career.
Even after retiring, Froemming remained involved in baseball as a special assistant for MLB's umpiring department.
For a man who started calling games in small minor league parks, it became a lifetime in the big leagues and a career that few umpires will ever match.
