Bruce Froemming, an American baseball umpire, died on February 25, 2026, at age 86.
Froemming worked in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 2007, spending most of his career in the National League. He first umpired in the NL in 1971 and, from 2000 to 2007, worked in both major leagues.
In 2006, he umpired his 5,000th game at Fenway Park, becoming the second umpire to reach that milestone. He worked five World Series and a record 10 League Championship Series appearances before ending his regular-season career in 2007 in his native Milwaukee.
Bruce Neal Froemming (/ˈfrɛmɪŋ/; September 28, 1939 – February 25, 2026) was an American baseball umpire who worked in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 2007, spending a majority of his career in the National League (NL). He first umpired in the NL in 1971, and from 2000 to 2007 worked throughout both major leagues. Early in the 2007 season, Froemming tied Bill Klem for the most seasons umpired. Previously, on August 16, 2006, Froemming umpired his 5,000th game between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, making him the second umpire to reach that milestone; Klem retired after 5,374 games. Froemming stands third on the all-time list of games umpired, having been passed when Joe West officiated his 5,164th major league game on August 14, 2019. He worked his final regular-season game at age 68 years 2 days on September 30, 2007, manning the third base position as the Milwaukee Brewers hosted the San Diego Padres in his native Milwaukee. Because Froemming was then over age 65, he became eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 instead of having to wait the customary five years.