Jimboz Giants Page
The Giants are a club with a rich team history, and many of baseball's greatest players and managers wore the Giants black and orange.
It was in 1902 that the New York Giants suffered through the worst season in the franchise's history. There were few things to cheer about during that disasterous 48-88 season, but one significant event during that season would change the course of baseball forever: the namimg of John McGraw as manager in July.
John McGraw was one of the toughest and cockiest baseball men to ever wear a major league uniform, but he was also one of the true geniuses of the game. By 1904, less than two full seasons after taking over the club, McGraw led the Giants to an astounding 106-47 record and the National League pennant. Many believed this powerhouse would easily win the World Series, but McGraw held a personal grudge against Ban Johnson, the President of the American League. As a final shot at Johnson, McGraw called the American League a "minor league" and refused to play their champions, the Boston Pilgrims. As a result, the 1904 World Series was cancelled.
During the nearly 30 years that "The Little Napoleon" managed the club, the Giants finished first or second in the National League pennant race an incredible 21 times. With stars like Christy Mathewson, Joe McGinnity, Rube Marquard, George "Highpockets" Kelly, Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, Bill Terry, McGraw's Giants played in 9 World Series from 1905 through 1932, and won 3 World Championships.
In 1932, Bill Terry succeeded McGraw as manager and continued the Giants winning ways, leading the team to 3 World Series and 1 World Series championship between 1933 and 1937. However, the great Giants stars that had carried the team were now past their prime years, and the team fell to sixth place in 1939.
The 1940's were a struggle for the once-proud Giants, as the team spent most of the decade struggling to finish in the upper half of the eight team league. During the decade, the team finished in last place twice and finished no higher than third.
In 1948, Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher stunned the baseball world by leaving the Dodgers to take the helm of the rival Giants. He immediately began revamping the team, and by 1950 only 12 of the 41 players who appeared on the 1947 roster were still with the team. That 1950 club finished a close third only 5.0 games behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies.
The 1951 season will live in the minds of baseball fans forever. The New York Giants had a new center fielder named Willie Mays, but it was the Brooklyn Dodgers who ruled the league. By mid August, the Dodgers held a 13.5 game lead over the Giants and looked to have the pennant locked up. However, the Giants used a 16 game winning streak to pull even with the Dodgers on the last day of the season. The two teams played a three game playoff to determine who would face the New York Yankees in the World Series. The Giants won the first game, and the Dodgers won the second. In the deciding game at the Polo Grounds, Bobby Thompson hit a dramatic three run home run off Ralph Branca in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Giants a 5-4 victory and the pennant.
In 1954, Willie Mays returned from the Army to lead the Giants to the National League pennant, but few gave them any hope of winning the World Series. Their opponents, the American League champion Cleveland Indians in the World Series had won an American League record 111 games that year, and most "experts" believed that the likes of Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Larry Doby would simply overpower the Giants. However, sparked by a fantastic Mays' catch in Game 1 and clutch hitting by Dusty Rhodes, the Giants shocked everyone by sweeping the Indians 4-0.
In 1958, the Giants headed west to San Francisco. Led by the likes of Mays, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, and Orlando Cepeda, the Giants put together a string of 14 consecutive winning seasons and appeared in the 1962 World Series.
The 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's have been difficult for the Giants, as they watched attendance drop to dangerously low levels and posted several losing seasons. But there have been bright spots: they won National League Western Division titles in 1971, 1987, and 1997, and they won the National League pennant in 1989.
Great achievements in Giants history include Bill Terry's .401 batting average in 1930 (the last National Leaguer to bat higher than .400 for a season), Willie Mays' 4 home runs in a game on April 30, 1961, and Willie McCovey's National League record 18 career grand slam home runs.
Team History:
New York Gothams: 1883-1885
New York Giants: 1886-1957
San Francisco Giants: 1958-present
Home Ballparks:
Polo Grounds I, New York, NY: 1883-1889
Polo Grounds II, New York, NY: 1889-1890
Polo Grounds III, New York, NY: 1891-1911
Polo Grounds IV, New York, NY: 1912-1957
Seals Stadium, San Francisco, CA: 1958-1959 3Com Park, San
Francisco, CA: 1960-present (aka Candlestick Park 1960-1995)
World Series Championships:
1954 - New York Giants defeated Cleveland Indians
1933 - New York Giants defeated Washington Senators
1922 - New York Giants defeated New York Yankees
1921 - New York Giants defeated New York Yankees
1905 - New York Giants defeated Philadelphia Athletics
World Series Losses:
1989 - San Francisco Giants defeated by Oakland Athletics 4-0
1962 - San Francisco Giants defeated by New York Yankees 4-3
1951 - New York Giants defeated by New York Yankees 4-2
1937 - New York Giants defeated by New York Yankees 4-1
1936 - New York Giants defeated by New York Yankees 4-2
1924 - New York Giants defeated by Washington Senators 4-3
1923 - New York Giants defeated by New York Yankees 4-2
1917 - New York Giants defeated by Chicago White Sox 4-2
1913 - New York Giants defeated by Philadelphia Athletics 4-1
1912 - New York Giants defeated by Boston Red Sox 4-1
1911 - New York Giants defeated by Philadelphia Athletics 4-2
Current Stars:
Barry Bonds
Jeff Kent
Rob Nenn
J.T. Snow
Stars of the Past:
Bobby Bonds
Orlando Cepeda
Will Clark
Carl Hubbell
Sal Maglie
Juan Marichal
Christy Mathewson
Willie Mays
Willie McCovey
Johnny Mize
Mel Ott
Bill Terry