 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.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.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.