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Bruce Froemming has umpired more big league games than all but two men. A veteran of 37 Major League seasons, Froemming started as a full-time arbiter in the show in 1971. The ump stands as one of the longest-tenured umpire in big league history when measured in terms of full seasons umpired. Froemming finished his 37th season in 2007. He first umpired a big league game in 1971 for the National League, then worked in both leagues from 2000 until he retired in 2007.

During his career, Froemming was on hand for some of baseball’s most memorable contests. When Milt Pappas pitched his no-hitter in 1972, it was Froemming’s “ball four” call with two-out in the 9th that kept the contest from being a perfect game.

The umpire also ejected Yankee skipper Billy Martin in Game Four of the ’76 Fall Classic, a rare World Series occurrence. A Milwaukee native, Froemming was behind home plate for the opening game to christen the Brewers’ Miller Park. Many believe Froemming had a career worthy of Cooperstown consideration.

In the collection is this payroll check dated June 25, 1970 from the Pacific Coast League to Bruce Froemming. The umpire was a year away from his making his debut as a Major League umpire.

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When Bruce Froemming retired, he held three important umpiring records, most no-hitters umpired, most games called in the League Championship Series, and most postseason games worked. His illustrious career is among the most Cooperstown-worthy among umpires without a plaque.

Shown here is the reverse of Froemming’s payroll check as umpire for the Pacific Coast League. The umpire has signed the top portion then added another signature of sorts by penning, “Mrs. Bruce Froemming”.

The check is dated 1970, a year before Froemming worked his first big league game. By 1988 he became one of the National League’s six crew chiefs. When he left the game twenty years later, Froemming had joined Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem as the only two to work 5,000 Major League games.

Interestingly, Froemming’s career in baseball almost didn’t happen. Before making the big leagues, he was recommended to work NBA basketball games by Hall of Fame coach Al McGuire. Froemming decided on baseball instead when Cooperstown umpire Al Barlick helped advance his career. When Froemming broke in, it was on Barlick’s crew; when Barlick broke in decades before, he worked games with Klem.