History of the San Francisco Giants

The original Giants, known as the New York Gothams, became part of the National League in 1883. Two years later, the team changed its name to the New York Giants. Then, in 1958, Giants fans had their hearts broken when the team was moved to San Francisco.

The Giants have the most Hall of Fame players of any major league team, due in large part to the Giants' early teams that were filled with future Hall of Famers. By 1885, they had at least five future Hall of Famers on their roster.

1883-1889

The New York Gothams started playing their home games at the Polo Grounds in 1883. Two years later, they became the NY Giants.

The Gothams had 46 wins and 50 losses in 1883. Their first winning season came a year later. John Clapp managed them in 1883, but he was replaced by Jim Price in 1884.

The Giants started the 1883 season with three future Hall of Famers - Buck Ewing, John Ward, and Mickey Welch - on the roster. Jim O'Rourke and Tim Keefe joined them in 1885, and all five stayed with the team through 1889.

Jim Mutrie took over as manager of the Giants in 1885, and he led the team to winning seasons from 1885 through 1889. They won their first National League pennant in 1988, when they finished the regular season with 84 wins and 47 losses. They played the St. Louis Browns (modern-day Cardinals) of the American Association in the postseason and they won the series. The following year, they won the NL pennant with 83 wins and 43 losses, and they defeated the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Dodgers of the American Association in the postseason.

1890-1899

The Giants continued to have winning seasons in the 1890s, but they didn't get to the postseason during the decade. They had six winning seasons (1891, 1993-1895, 1897, 1898). Their best season was 1894, when they had 88 wins and 44 losses.

The Giants kept changing managers from 1890 through 1899. They had eleven different managers during that time with only three managing in more than one season.

1900-1909

In 1902, the Giants had a terrible record (48-88) and their owner, Andrew Freedman, in an effort to revitalize the team, hired John McGraw as the team's new manager. Hiring McGraw proved to be a good move, and by 1904, he had turned the Giants into a top team. They won the National League pennant in 1904 with 106 wins and 47 losses. There was no World Series that year, but in 1905, when the Giants again won the NL pennant with 105 wins and 48 losses, they faced the Philadelphia Athletics in the World series and they won the series in five games.

The Giants kept having winning seasons from 1906 through 1909, but they didn't get to the World Series. Three future Hall of Famers who helped the Giants during the decade were Christy Mathewson, Roger Bresnahan, and Joe McGinnity.

1910-1919

The Giants had strong seasons from 1910 through 1919, with nine winning seasons and four trips to the postseason. They had their best season in 1912, when they had 103 wins and 48 losses.

The Giants had a winning season in 1910 but no postseason play. The following season, they won the NL pennant with 99 wins and 54 losses. They lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Athletics.

The Giants won the NL pennant again in 1912 with 103 wins and in 1913 with 101 wins. They faced the Boston Red Sox in the World Series in 1912, and they lost the series. The following year, they again lost the World Series to the Athletics.

After a winning season in 1914, but no postseason play, the Giants had a losing season in 1915. They had another winning season in 1916, but once again didn't win the NL pennant. That changed in 1917, when they won the pennant with 98 wins and 56 losses. They lost the World Series to the Chicago White Sox. They had winning seasons in 1918 and 1919, but they didn't win the NL pennant in either of those years.

The Giants had three more Hall of Famers on their rosters from 1910 through 1919. Rube Marquard joined the team in 1908 and played with them through 1915. A year before Marquard left the team, George Kelly was added to the roster, and he played with them from 1915 through 1917 and again from 1919 through 1926. Ross Youngs played with the Giants from 1917 through 1926.

1920-1929

The 1920s were a repeat of the previous decade for the Giants, with one major exception. They went to four World Series, but instead of losing all of them, they won two titles. John McGraw continued to manage the team through the decade. Their best season was 1923, when they had 95 wins and 58 losses.

As in the previous decade, the Giants had nine winning seasons from 1920-1929. Although they started with a winning season in 1920, they didn't win the NL pennant that year. However, they followed that season with four consecutive NL pennants.

In 1921, the Giants won the NL pennant with 94 wins and 59 losses. They faced the New York Yankees in the World Series and they won the title. The following season was almost the same - they had 93 wins and 61 losses, another NL pennant win, and another World Series title, again defeating the Yankees.

The Giants had 95 wins and 58 losses in 1923, and their third consecutive NL pennant. They again faced the Yankees in the World Series, but this time they were defeated by their NY rivals. The following season, they won the NL pennant with 93 wins and 60 losses. They lost the World Series in 1924 to the Washington Senators.

Although the Giants had winning seasons in 1925, 1927, 1928, and 1929, they didn't get to the postseason in any of those years.

Five more future Hall of Famers played with the Giants in the 1920s. Travis Jackson was the first to be added to the roster in 1922. He continued to play with them through 1936. Next came Bill Terry who played with them from 1923 through 1936. Freddie Lindstrom joined them in 1924, followed two years later by Mel Ott. Lindstrom stayed with the Giants through 1932, and Ott remained a force for the team for more than two decades. Carl Hubbell joined the Giants at the end of the decade (1928) and he continued to play with them through 1943.

1930-1939

McGraw continued to manage the Giants from 1930 to 1932, leading them to a winning season in 1931, but not to the postseason. He was replaced by player-manager Bill Terry in 1933. Terry led the Giants to three NL pennant wins and one World Series championship.

In his first year as manager, Terry led the Giants to 91 wins and 61 losses and the NL pennant. They faced the Senators in the 1933 World Series and they won the title.

The had winning seasons again in 1934 and 1935, but they didn't win the NL pennant until 1936, when they had 92 wins and 62 losses. The following year, they had 95 wins and 57 losses and another NL pennant. They played against the Yankees in both the 1936 and 1937 World Series and they lost both series.

Terry led the Giants to two more winning seasons, but they didn't get to the postseason in 1938 or 1939.

1940-1949

The Giants started the 1940s with two losing seasons. They had 85 wins and 67 losses in 1942, but that record wasn't good enough to get them to the postseason. Mel Ott replaced Terry as player-manager during that season and he continued to manage them through part of 1948. He led them to winning seasons in 1945 and 1947, but they didn't win the NL pennant in any of those years.

In the middle of the 1948 season, Leo Durocher took over the managerial position and he stayed until the end of the 1955 season. The Giants had a winning season in 1948, but again they weren't good enough to get to the World Series. Future Hall of Famer Johnny Mize joined the team in 1942, but then left to serve in the military in 1943. He returned to the team in 1946 and stayed with them to 1949.

1950-1959

During Durocher's reign as manager, the Giants acquired Willie Mays who helped the team win two NL pennants and a World Series title.

The Giants started the 1950s with a winning season, but no postseason play. However, in 1951, Mays' first year with the team, they won the NL pennant with 98 wins and 59 losses, and they went on to the World Series. They lost the series, once again to the rival NY Yankees.

The Giants had a winning season in 1952, but it wasn't until 1954 that they went to the World Series again. They finished the 1954 season wtih 97 wins and 57 losses. They won the World Series title by defeating the Cleveland Indians.

Durocher led the Giants to a winning season in 1955, but he was replaced as manager by Bill Rigney the following year. Rigney led the team to winning seasons in 1958 and 1959, but not to postseason play.

In 1958, along with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Giants left New York and made their new home in California. As the new San Francisco Giants, they played their first two years of home games at Seals Stadium. They added Orlando Cepeda to their roster in 1958.

1960-1969

The Giants started the 1960s with a strong roster. Joining Mays and Cepeda were pitchers Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal and first baseman Willie McCovey, all of whom were future Hall of Famers.

The Giants moved to a new stadium, Candlestick Park, in 1960. With a powerful infield and outfield and top pitchers on the mound, they had nothing but winning seasons from 1960 to 1969. Their best year was 1962, when they had 103 wins and 62 losses. That was the only season in which they went to the postseason and they once more lost the World Series to the Yankees.

Although the Giants had a strong roster, they had difficulty sticking with a manager. Bill Rigney was replaced by Tom Sheehan in 1960, but Sheehan only lasted for that season. Alvin Dark took over in 1961, and he managed the team through 1964. He was replaced by Herman Franks, who managed the team from 1965 through 1968. The decade ended with Clyde King as manager.

The Giants were moved to the new NL West divsion in 1969.

1970-1979

The Giants started the 1970s with winning seasons in 1970, 1971, and 1973. They won the NL West division title in 1971, but they lost the NL Championship series and the NL pennant to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Charlie Fox took over as manager in 1970, and he continued to manage the team to 1974.

The Giants faltered after 1973, and they didn't have another winning season until 1978. During that time, they had four managers. Fox was replaced by Wes Westrum in 1974. Bill Rigney returned to manage the team in 1976. Joe Altobelli managed them from 1977 to 1979, when he was replaced by Dave Bristol.

1980-1989

Frank Robinson took over as manager in 1981, and he led the Giants to winning seasons in 1981 and 1982. However, they didn't win the division title either year. After a losing season in 1983, Danny Ozark took over from Robinson during the 1984 season. He also didn't last long, and the 1985 season found the Giants with two managers, Jim Davenport and Roger Craig.

Under Craig's leadership, the Giants had a succession of winning seasons (1986-1989). They won the NL West division title in 1987 with 90 wins and 72 losses. They faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS and lost the series. Two years later, they again won the division title. They went on to defeat the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. They played against, and lost to, the Oakland Athletics in the earthquake interrupted World Series of 1989.

1990-1999

Craig continued to manage the Giants through 1992, leading them to a winning season in 1990, but losing seasons in 1991 and 1992. He was replaced by Dusty Baker in 1993.

The Giants long-time owner, Bob Lurie, sold the team in 1992. The most significant early action of the new ownership was the acquisition of free agent Barry Bonds in 1993. The combination of Baker and Bonds helped lead the Giants to a winning season in 1993.

The Giants struggled in the mid-1990s, with losing seasons in 1994, 1995, and 1996. In 1997, they once again won the NL West division title with 90 wins and 72 losses. They lost the NL Division series to the Miami Marlins.

2000-2009

In 2000, the Giants moved to a new ball park, AT&T Park, after having played for forty years at Candlestick Park. The move seemed to bring good fortune to the team, with winning seasons from 2000 through 2004.

Under manager Baker, the Giants won 97 games in 2000. They won the NL West division title and Baker was named the NL Manager of the Year. They lost the NLDS to the New York Mets. Two years later, Baker led them to 95 wins and 66 losses, and the NL Wild Card. They went on to defeat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. They won the NL pennant by defeating the Cardinals in the NLCS, but they lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Angels.

The 2002 season marked the end of Dusty Baker's managerial career with the Giants. Many of the 2002 winning team's players also left after the 2002 season. Felipe Alou took over as manager in 2003, and he led the Giants to 100 wins and 61 losses in his first season. They were defeated in the NLDS by the Marlins.

After losing seasons in 2004, 2005, and 2006, Alou was replaced by Bruce Bochy in 2007. That year, the team saw the start of strong pitching with Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Barry Zito in the starting rotation. The 2009 season brought catcher Buster Posey and pitcher Madison Bumgarner to the team.

The Giants ended the decade with a winning season and hopes for a bright future.

2010-2018

In 2010, the Giants dominated the NL West division, winning the division title with 92 wins and 70 losses. They defeated the Braves to win the NLDS, and the Philadelphia Phillies to win the NL pennant. They then won the World Series title by defeating the Texas Rangers.

Although the Giants had a winning season in 2011, they didn't get to the postseason. But in 2012, they repeated their 2010 season, first winning the NL West division title with 94 wins and 68 losses. They won the NLDS over the Cincinnati Reds, and then defeated the Cardinals in the NLCS. They won their second World Series title in three years by defeating the Detroit Tigers.

The Giants had a down year in 2013, finishing with 76 wins and 86 losses. They tied the San Diego Padres for a third place finish in the NL West division.

In 2014, the Giants again followed their even year pattern, with just one change. They finished in second place in the NL West division with 88 wins and 74 losses, but they made it to the postseason by winning a Wild Card spot. They defeated the Pirates in the Wild Card game and then repeated their 2010 and 2012 feats. First they won the NLDS over the Washington Nationals. Next, they defeated the Cardinals in the NLCS, and then they won the World Series in seven games over the Kansas City Royals.

The Giants again had a winning season in 2015, with 84 wins and 78 losses. They finished in second place in the NL West division and didn't get to the postseason. In 2016, they again had a second place finish in the division with 87 wins and 75 losses. They won a Wild Card spot and defeated the Mets in the Wild Card game. However, they couldn't repeat their NLDS win, losing the series this time to the Cubs.

The Giants had a bad season in 2017, finishing in last place in the NL West division with 64 wins and 98 losses. They fared only slightly better in 2018, with 73 wins and 89 losses and a fourth place finish in the division.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - San Francisco Giants
Baseball Reference - San Francisco Giants