Baseball legend Joe Torre cut his teeth in Milwaukee; He's on the Brewers "Wall of Fame"

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Most people remember Joe Torre as the manager leading Derek Jeter and the rest of the New York Yankees to World Series championships, but Torre cut his teeth in Milwaukee. His ties here, and his friendships run deep.

Joe Torre was a terrific Big League ballplayer. He solidified his induction into baseball's Hall of Fame later this month by guiding the Yankees to four World Series championships.

In May, Torre, who started his professional career as a teenager in Eau Claire before joining the Milwaukee Braves later that year joined his older brother Frank as the 13th member of the Braves Wall of Honor at Miller Park.

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said he was in awe of Torre when the two first met. Torre put the Brewers boss at ease by saying he'd heard great things about him.

"I was just speechless. Joe Torre knows who I am? And I'm not sure if he did. Maybe Bob did some advance work," Attanasio said.

Bob Uecker, another Braves Wall of Famer talked about being brought to Atlanta to re-join his former Braves teammate and roommate, in part to catch another Hall of Famer -- knuckleballer Phil Niekro.

"Not only because I could, but because Joe didn't want to. I mean, Joe was -- you were, you were a major part of my leading the league in passed balls. But I remember how helpful you were. As each ball went by me, you hollered 'over there. It's over there,' which was a tremendous help," Uecker said.

Torre, who still has fond memories of his time in Milwaukee, has ties to legendary umpire and Milwaukee native Bruce Froemming.

"Bruce and I started together in 'C ball.' Of course, you stayed there longer than I did. We were both very, not very nice people back then, right Bruce? We were both real pains in the rear end. However, I have changed," Torre said.

Torre's fun at the likable Froemming's expense continued even after he left the podium.

"He is a friend, but he works for me, which I love because, you know, it took me 50 years, but I'm getting even with him," Torre said.

All kidding aside, Froemming umpired a record 37 Big League seasons. Cooperstown could open its Hall of Fame doors to him someday.

As baseball's Special Assistant to the VP on umpiring, Froemming does indeed answer to his long-time buddy who's the Executive VP of Baseball Operations.

"I didn't like a pitch he called and all I heard was 'yatata,' and that hasn't really changed a whole lot over the years, but you know, I think there's a mutual respect and treasure to our friendship. At least that's the way I feel. I don't know what he feels," Torre said.

"Joe would come at me like a snow plow looking for snow at times, you know. As a manager I respect him and he showed respect toward the umpires when he came out to discuss or argue -- any time he just discussed," Bruce Froemming said.

Although, those discussions sometimes escalated.

"I went out to argue for a purpose, to get thrown out because my team was sort of melting away. Look, we weren't winning many games, and I remember going out between second and third to argue about a play, and as soon as I got out there Bruce says 'look, I'm not throwing you out,' so I got a chance to call him every four-letter word, and I had fun doing that even though he wouldn't throw me out of the game," Torre said.

"The nice thing about umpiring then versus today was -- today we're looking at replays that show maybe the umpire was wrong. I now look back at my career. I had 'em all right! You see that -- he's before film, you know," Froemming said.

Froemming and Torre jabbed at each other like two boxers, but on this day, when, in a sense, Torre came back home to be honored, a 50-year friendship was renewed.

Along with Mark Attanasio, Joe Torre has been rumored to be a possible replacement to Commissioner Bud Selig, who steps down in January of next year.