As a child, Al Freiheit remembers those memorable trips to the ballpark with his father and grandfather. The two older Freiheits shared their passion for baseball by taking him to Major League Baseball games in Boston and New York City.

The Freiheits lived in Manchester, Connecticut, a town located 125 miles from New York City and 95 miles from Boston. Every Father’s Day, they either traveled north to Fenway Park or Braves Field in Boston. Or they traveled south to Yankee Stadium, the Polo Grounds, or Ebbets Field in New York.

The Father’s Day trips began in 1948. The first time was a game between the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a memorable experience for Al — a nine-year-old with a growing passion for the baseball. He remembers Johnny Mize and Willard Marshall hitting home runs that day.

The sights and sounds of a big league baseball game left a lasting impression on Freiheit.

“I loved it,” Freiheit said. “In those days, it was a totally different experience. You were much closer to field. You got a good look at them walking out to the clubhouse in center field. And you could call out to get an autograph.”

Baseball was special for his family. Al’s father was scouted by the New York Giants. Al played baseball for Denver College in the late 1950s. Baseball played such a big part in the Freiheit household that they often attended games when they visited friends and relatives.

“Anytime we went to Philadelphia, Chicago or Washington, D.C., we always tried to go to one or two games,” Freiheit said. “By 1961, I had seen games in all the big league ballparks. Those old parks were great. They were smaller that the ones now, and most of them didn’t have a bad seat.” 

His favorite park was Braves Field in Boston. The Braves played in Boston from 1915-1952. The venue was especially accommodating to fans who enjoyed watching batting practice.

Freiheit likened the Braves Field experience to watching a game at Hadlock Field in Portland. But Fenway Park isn’t one of his favorites. He likes Fenway’s quirkiness of the Green Monster — the 37-foot left field wall —- or the Pesky Pole located 302 feet from home plate in right field.

But the quirkiness doesn’t make up for Fenway’s design flaws, he said.

Fenway Park was built in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium. Freiheit said the park’s design makes a difficult place to watch a game.

“Fenway is terrible. They should have done something with that place years ago,” he said. “When they refurbished it they should have wiped out every seat. They’re uncomfortable and don’t face the field.”

While Fenway’s viewing experience is poor, according to Freiheit, the park does hold a memorable personal experience for him. Freiheit met Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris there in the 1980s. Freiheit was watching a special batting practice in the relatively empty park. 

Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs was in the midst of winning one of his five American League batting titles, and taking an unusual batting practice. Boggs placed towels in the outfield at 200, 250 and 300 foot intervals. He tried hitting the various targets during practice.

Morris also watched Boggs.

“If everybody prepared like him, I’d be pitching ‘A’ Ball,” the Tigers’ hurler told Freiheit.

Another old park steeped in history also holds a special place in Freiheit’s heart: Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. The Dodgers played there from 1913-57.

“Everybody was your friend there,” Freiheit said. “The usher would tell us come back in the seventh inning and let you sit closer.”

Wrigley Field in Chicago is another favorite.The Cubs’ home field is the second oldest active major league park. It was built in 1914.

“There is not a bad seat in the house. And watching a game from right field, you feel you’re right on top of the action,” Freiheit said. “The field is being renovated this year. And it’s on my list to go back to.”

Yankee Stadium was a frequent stop on Freiheit’s visits to major league parks in the 1950s. While the stadium was the largest of the old parks, it still proved to be a memorable experience.

“What else can you say about it. It’s Yankee Stadium, and that about sums it up,” he said.

In the mid-1960s, the old parks started to vanish. Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis gave way to Busch Stadium as did similar parks in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York. For Freiheit, the advent of modern ballparks wasn’t a sign of progress.

“The newer stadiums like Shea in New York, and Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, were just too big. It was like watching a game from eight miles away,” he said.

These modern stadiums were constructed for a dual purpose. These stadiums also hosted football games. Among the worst was Oakland’s O.co Coliseum (formerly Oakland Coliseum), according to Freiheit. Candlestick Park in San Francisco wasn’t much better.

“A friend told me not to go (to Candlestick) because it would rain, and he was right,” Freiheit said. “By the fifth inning it rained so hard they reeled down a big plastic sheet in front of the right field bleachers.

In 2013, San Francisco replaced Candlestick Park with AT&T Park. Freiheit said the new park is a wonderful place to watch a game.

“It has that old park feel in a modern setting,” he said. “The field is tucked into the city, which is a major plus. Baseball is getting it right with new fields. It started in the 1990s when Baltimore built a baseball-only stadium.”

Freiheit and his wife, Joan, have lived in Maine since 2011. They enjoy watching Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field. The Freiheits buy a 10-game package each year and sit in the right field stands. Freiheit recommends the location and to focus on third base.

“From there you can see everything without moving your head,” Freiheit said.

The Freiheits are also avid college football fans. They watched their son play in the 1980s and their son-in-law is a coach at Bates College. The Freiheits have visited college stadiums in the Ivy League, New England Small Conference Football Conference and the Big East.