Sitting on the bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win after nine rounds, the visitors faced up to 12th placed Melbourne.
When all was said and done, Fremantle walked away with a historic first win and a goals record that stands to this day.
Former Adelaide star Tony Modra, who had joined the club at the start of the season, was unstoppable, booting 10 goals in the 54-point victory.
Freo ruckman Daniel Bandy dominated the stoppages, easily accounting for Melbourne big man and former teammate Jeff White.
Stephen O'Reilly, Andrew Shipp and Clive Waterhouse were also very good, while future Freo star Jeff Farmer was one of the only Demons to compete strongly.
But this night belonged to the flamboyant Modra.
Five goals in a blistering 15-minute burst in the second term was enough to see his opponent Jamie Shanahan benched early in the second quarter in the Demon’s 150th game.
Fremantle coach Damian Drum was relieved to notch win number two for the season.
"They will be able to wake up in the morning and feel like decent human beings," he said.
FREMANTLE 6.4 12.7 18.10 22.12 (144)
MELBOURNE 3.5 6.6 9.8 13.12 (90)
GOALS: Fremantle: Modra 10, O'Reilly 3, Waterhouse 3, Shipp 3, Wira 2, Prescott. Melbourne: Farmer 3, Schwarz 2, White 2, Beams 2, Lyon, Woewodin, J McDonald, Robertson.
BEST: Fremantle: Modra, Bandy, Prescott, O'Reilly, Fletcher
Melbourne: Woewodin, Farmer, Schwarz, Viney.
INJURIES: Fremantle: Harding (shoulder), Dodd (knee).
REPORTS: Nil.
UMPIRES: McLaren, Williams, Norden.
CROWD: 19,178 at the MCG.
