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Vern Freiburger

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Vern Freiburger
First baseman
Born: (1923-12-19)December 19, 1923
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died: February 27, 1990(1990-02-27) (aged 66)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 6, 1941, for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
September 15, 1941, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Games played2
At bats8
Hits1
Teams

Vern Donald Freiburger (December 19, 1923 – February 27, 1990) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who started two games for the Cleveland Indians on September 6 and September 15 during the 1941 season. At 17 years of age, he was the youngest player to appear in an American League game that season.

Born in Michigan, Freiburger was signed by the Cleveland Indians organization while still in high school. He played one season of minor league baseball, then was given a tryout on the major league roster. After spending 1942 in the minor leagues, he enlisted with the United States Navy to serve in World War II. Upon returning from military service, he returned to the minor leagues, but was no longer considered a major prospect for the Indians, and he proceeded to play in mostly the lower level minor leagues until 1952. Freiburger then retired to California and died in 1990.

Early career and military service

Freiburger's amateur baseball career began at the age of 12, when he played for the Class A amateur group of the Detroit Firemen's League; he played American Legion Baseball during this time as well.[1] While playing sandlot ball for them, Freiburger was discovered by Indians scout Cy Slapnicka, and was signed to a contract with an invitation to spring training in 1941 at the age of 17.[2] At the time, Freiburger was a student at Detroit Eastern High School with a year left until graduation, which he put on hold to pursue a professional baseball career.[3] After spring training ended in 1941, he was sent to the Flint Arrows to gain some professional baseball experience. During his time with the Arrows, the team faced the Indians in an exhibition game which they won, 3-2. In the game, Freiburger had two runs batted in to give the team the win.[4]

By the end of the minor league season, Arrows manager Buzz Wetzel considered Freiburger to be nearly major-league ready, and found him to be one of the best hitters in the minor leagues that season.[5] Freiburger made his major league debut a couple weeks later on September 8 in a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. His second and final appearance in a game was against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. In his two games he was 1-for-8 (.125) with one run batted in, and in 84 minor league games he had a batting average of .318.[6]

Freiburger re-signed with the Indians organization in 1942 and joined the major league team for spring training in part due to the folding of the Michigan State League.[7] In late March, before spring training had concluded, Freiburger was sent to the Cedar Rapids Raiders of the Three-I League, where he spent the 1942 season. In 115 games, he had a batting average of .301 and 23 doubles.[6] The following season, the Indians had intended to make Freiburger part of the major league roster due to Hal Trosky's retirement making a hole at the first base position. Instead, he was called to serve in World War II, and he spent the next three years with the United States Navy.[8]

Later career and life

Upon returning from military service, Freiburger remained on the reserve list for the Indians, but was sent to the minor leagues to get back into baseball shape.[9] Hespent the 1946 season with the Charleston Rebels and the Wilkes-Barre Barons, where he played 69 total games and finished the year with a combined batting average of .222.[6] The following year, he faced two other minor league players for the starting first base job.[10] He lost the position battle, and spent the season with the Concord Weavers and Rock Hill Chiefs, playing in 90 total games between the two teams.[6] Freiburger began the 1948 season with Rock Hill, but was released shortly after the minor league season began.[11] He then signed with the Suffolk Goobers of the Virginia League. He played in 128 games for the Goobers, and finished 1948 with a .294 batting average.[6] After spending the start of 1949 with Suffolk, Freiburger joined the Emporia Nationals of the Virginia League. In his first game facing his old team in June, he had three runs batted in in a 6–4 Emporia win.[12] Freiburger was named to the Virginia League All-Star Team in 1949 and 1950.[13][14] He remained with the Nationals through the 1951 season when the Virginia League folded, and in his final year with the team was one of only three returning players.[15]

Freiburger ended his professional baseball career in 1952 with the Palatka Azaleas of the Florida State League, playing in 14 games for the team.[6] After retiring, Freiburger became a bus driver for Long Beach Public Transportation, and lived in California with his wife and three children. Freiburger died at the age of 66 in Palm Springs, California and was buried in the Good Shepherd Cemetery in Huntington Beach, California.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Tips From The Press Boxes". The Sunday Morning Star. April 13, 1941. p. 24.
  2. ^ "Another Feller?". The Plain Dealer. January 11, 1941. p. 17.
  3. ^ "Mack Welcomes Indian Papoose". The Plain Dealer. February 16, 1941. p. C1.
  4. ^ "Indians Edged by Flint Farm Hands". The Plain Dealer. July 8, 1941. p. 4.
  5. ^ Cobbledick, Gordon (August 26, 1941). "Plain Dealing". The Plain Dealer. p. 16.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Vern Freiburger Minor League Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  7. ^ "Michigan League Divides Reserve". Ludington Daily News. February 13, 1942. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Tribe Loses Another First Base Candidate". The Plain Dealer. March 7, 1943. p. 33.
  9. ^ "Freiburger Reports to Tribe". The Courier-Journal. April 25, 1946. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Sperry Bought From Colonels". Times Leader. April 3, 1947. p. 17.
  11. ^ "Chiefs Drop Two, Add One". The Charlotte News. April 27, 1948. p. 3B.
  12. ^ "Emporia Cuts Franklin Lead To Two Tilts". The Ledger-Star. June 8, 1949. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Blue Sox Place Six Players On East All-Star Team". The Hopewell News. August 1, 1949. p. 6.
  14. ^ "First All-Star Game Scheduled For Tonight". The Hopewell News. June 12, 1950. p. 4.
  15. ^ "Virginia Leaguers Open Fourth Season This Friday Evening". Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 2, 1951. p. 23.
  16. ^ "Vern Freiburger, 66, retired bus driver". The Desert Sun. March 1, 1990. p. A4.
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