The preservation of one of Vero Beach’s most iconic landmarks, the Jackie Robinson Training Complex, is often attributed to the vision of Peter O’Malley, but recent tributes highlight the crucial role played by another baseball legend: longtime local resident and former Major League Baseball umpire Bruce Froemming.
Froemming, who passed away recently at the age of 86, is being remembered not just for his 37-year career on the diamond, but for his passionate advocacy that helped keep baseball alive at the historic former Naval Air Station property.
A Voice for Preservation
When the Los Angeles Dodgers departed for Arizona in 2008, the future of the sprawling complex—then known as Historic Dodgertown—was in jeopardy. There were genuine fears that the land, located just south of the Vero Beach Regional Airport, could be redeveloped into residential condominiums, drastically altering the local landscape and traffic patterns.
Froemming, who first visited Vero Beach in the early 1960s as a minor league umpire, became a vocal opponent of letting the facility fade away. According to local reports, he urged Indian River County commissioners and Vero Beach council members to make necessary land swaps that would allow Minor League Baseball to construct youth fields.
His support became critical again around 2013, when Peter O’Malley sought to take over operations to transform the site into a multi-sport training center. When negotiations stalled due to hesitation from county officials, Froemming publicly campaigned for the partnership, contacting the Press Journal to voice his strong support for O’Malley’s vision.
“Peter O’Malley is doing us a favor. He’s here because he has had a lifelong love affair with Vero Beach, because Dodgertown has always meant something to him and his family… He wants to make sure people never forget that they were here. He wants to make sure Dodgertown remains a landmark.”
From Uncertainty to MLB Success
Thanks in part to the support of influential residents like Froemming, O’Malley eventually secured the deal with Indian River County. This partnership bridged the gap between the Dodgers’ departure and the facility’s current era. Today, the site is operated directly by Major League Baseball and has been renamed the Jackie Robinson Training Complex.
Instead of becoming a residential development, the complex has thrived as a hub for youth development and international sports tourism. It hosts prestigious events such as the Andre Dawson Classic and the annual Jackie Robinson Day celebration game, which benefits the United Way of Indian River County.
Remembering a Local Legend
Peter O’Malley recently reflected on his lifelong friendship with the umpire, noting that Froemming and fellow umpire Dutch Rennert fell in love with the city while staying at Dodgertown decades ago.
“He truly loved Vero Beach,” O’Malley stated regarding Froemming, who lived in the area until moving to Wisconsin in 2016 to be closer to family.
To honor his contributions to the sport and the local community, the complex named its umpire room after Froemming in 2016. While he is widely recognized for his long tenure in the major leagues, his legacy in Vero Beach remains tangible in the preserved fields and bustling dugouts of the facility he fought to protect.
