Longtime MLB umpire Dutch Rennert, former Vero Beach resident, dies at 88

ST. AUGUSTINE — Former Vero Beach resident Dutch Rennert, a National League umpire from 1973 to 1992 who was known for his animated, booming strike calls, has died. He was 88.

St. John's Family Funeral Home and Crematory in St. Augustine confirmed Monday night that Rennert died on Sunday. A cause of death wasn't given.

Laurence "Dutch" Rennert Jr. was a longtime minor league umpire before his promotion to the National League in 1973. He worked 2,693 regular-season games, plus six NL Championship Series; three World Series, in 1980, '83 and '89; and two All-Star Games.

"To be an umpire you have to love baseball, no doubt about that," Rennert told the Oshkosh (Wisconsin) Northwestern in a 2005 interview. 

Respected by players, Rennert was known for his distinctive strike calls. He would step back from the catcher, turn toward one dugout in a crouch or on one knee, extend his right arm and often yell loud enough to be heard on a television or radio broadcast.

He was so recognizable behind the plate that plenty of fans even enjoyed mimicking him at times.

Rennert was born on June 12, 1930, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. After graduating from Oshkosh High School in 1949, he headed west, where he got into recreational umpiring before catching the eye of a former major league umpire who saw talent in him and convinced him to go to umpire school.

"In Lake Winnebago, you might be a whale in a small lake," Rennert told the Northwestern. "When you go to umpire school, you're a minnow in a small ocean."

He first visited Vero Beach to learn more about his profession. He worked at Dodgertown and met Peter O'Malley, whose family owned the Los Angeles Dodgers.

More:Homegrown: Easy to find something new, old about baseball at Historic Dodgertown

“Our family always appreciated Dutch’s work ethic, dedication and professionalism,” O'Malley said Wednesday. “I became aware of Dutch in the early 1960’s when he would work games at Dodgertown and I was the camp director. He had a terrific personality and a passion for his craft. You just knew that he was going to make it to the major leagues one day." 

More:Jackie Robinson made unforgettable debut in first Dodgertown game | Laurence Reisman

After working the minor leagues, along with a second job with the post office, Rennert broke into the majors in 1973, patrolling second base for a game between the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. He went on to umpire all-star games, league championships and finally the World Series.

"Athletes always talk about the rings and not the money. The money goes, but you always got the rings," Rennert said of his three World Series rings awarded to umpires. "Some guys never make it in a lifetime and great ball players never make it to a World Series. Umpiring is the same way.

"When it's the only game being played and you got the plate, you have arrived. That's a great feeling."

TCPalm staff writer Laurence Reisman contributed to this report.