History of the San Francisco Giants facts for kids
The history of the San Francisco Giants is a long and exciting story that began way back in 1883! The team started as the New York Gothams. Over the years, many amazing baseball players have been part of the Giants, like Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, Barry Bonds, and Gaylord Perry. Since moving to San Francisco, the team has won three World Series championships and six National League (NL) titles.
Contents
- The Giants' Journey: From New York to San Francisco
- San Francisco Era Begins: 1958–1961
- World Series Excitement in 1962
- Star Players and Postseason Runs: 1963–1984
- Building a Winner: The Humm-Baby Years (1985–1989)
- A New Home and a New Star: The Barry Bonds Era (1992–2007)
- Rebuilding for the Future: 2008–2009
- The San Francisco Dynasty: 2010–2016
- New Leadership and Recent Seasons: 2017–Present
- Images for kids
The Giants' Journey: From New York to San Francisco
For many years, from 1883 to 1957, the Giants played their games in New York City. During this time, they won five of their eight World Series titles. They also won 17 of their 23 National League pennants. Most of their home games were played at the famous Polo Grounds stadium.
The Giants team was created by the National League in 1883. They were first called the Gothams. They quickly won two National League titles in a row in 1888 and 1889. Great players like Tim Keefe and Mickey Welch helped them win. From 1902 to 1931, the team was managed by John McGraw. He led them to 10 National League pennants and three World Series wins. Stars like Christy Mathewson and Mel Ott played for him.
After John McGraw, the Giants had two famous moments. One was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" in 1951. The other was "The Catch" by young superstar Willie Mays in 1954. By the mid-1950s, the Polo Grounds stadium was getting old. The Giants started thinking about moving from New York. The Brooklyn Dodgers also wanted to move to Los Angeles. But they were told another team needed to move to California too. So, the Giants agreed to move to San Francisco. New York did not have a National League team again until the New York Mets started in 1962.
San Francisco Era Begins: 1958–1961
When the Giants arrived in San Francisco, they played their first two seasons at Seals Stadium. This stadium used to be home to a minor league team called the San Francisco Seals. In 1958, first baseman Orlando Cepeda won the Rookie of the Year award. The next year, in 1959, Willie McCovey won the same award.
In 1960, the Giants moved to Candlestick Park. This new stadium was built overlooking San Francisco Bay. Candlestick Park quickly became known for its strong, swirling winds and cold temperatures. It was a tough place for both fans and players. A funny story happened in the 1961 All-Star Game. A strong gust of wind caused Giants pitcher Stu Miller to slip off the pitching mound. This led to a baseball legend that Miller was "blown off the mound."
World Series Excitement in 1962
In 1962, the Giants had another thrilling race for the pennant with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They won a special three-game tiebreaker series against the Dodgers. The Giants came from behind with four runs in the ninth inning of Game 3. This brought the World Series to San Francisco for the first time! However, the Giants lost the World Series 4–3 to the New York Yankees.
Game 7 was very close. The Yankees were ahead 1–0 in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, Willie Mays hit a double. This put the tying run at third base. The next batter, Willie McCovey, hit a hard line drive. But it went right to the second baseman, Bobby Richardson, who caught it. This ended the game and the Series. It was a heartbreaking finish for the Giants.
Star Players and Postseason Runs: 1963–1984
Even though the Giants didn't play in another World Series until 1989, they had many great teams in the 1960s. They had future Hall of Famers like Gaylord Perry, who pitched a no-hitter in 1968. Juan Marichal was another star pitcher with a unique high-kicking style. Willie McCovey won the National League MVP award in 1969. Willie Mays hit his 600th career home run in 1969. In 1963, Jesús Alou joined his brothers Felipe and Matty. For one inning, they formed the first all-brother outfield in major league history! In 1967, pitcher Mike McCormick won the Cy Young Award.
The Giants made the playoffs again in 1971. They won their division on the last day of the season. But they lost in the League Championship Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 1970s, two Giants won Rookie of the Year awards: Gary Matthews Sr. in 1973 and John Montefusco in 1975.
In 1976, Bob Lurie bought the team. This saved the team from moving to Toronto. San Francisco fans were happy to keep their Giants. The rest of the 1970s was not as successful for the team. In 1978, the Giants had a good season. They had young stars like Jack Clark and veteran Willie McCovey. They led their division for most of the season. But the Los Angeles Dodgers got hot and won the division late in the year.
In 1981, the Giants made history. They hired Frank Robinson, the first black manager in the National League. In 1982, the Giants were in a close pennant race. On the last day of the season, Joe Morgan hit a home run against the Dodgers. This helped the Atlanta Braves win the division.
Building a Winner: The Humm-Baby Years (1985–1989)
In 1985, the Giants had their worst season ever, losing 100 games. Owner Bob Lurie hired Al Rosen as general manager and Roger Craig as manager. Rosen brought up talented rookies like Will Clark and Robby Thompson. In 1987, they added stars like Kevin Mitchell.
Roger Craig managed the Giants from 1985 to 1992. Under him, the team had winning records for five years. The Giants won their division in 1987. They lost the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.
The 1989 World Series and the Earthquake
The 1989 Giants won the National League pennant. They had star players like pitcher Rick Reuschel and NL MVP Kevin Mitchell. Will Clark was also a key player.
The Giants beat the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS, 4–1. In Game 1, Will Clark hit a grand slam. Clark was named the series MVP. He batted an amazing .650! In Game 5, Clark got a clutch hit to win the game. The Giants had won the pennant after 27 years!
The Giants then faced their local rivals, the Oakland Athletics, in the "Bay Bridge Series." This series is best remembered for the Loma Prieta earthquake. It happened on October 17, 1989, just before Game 3 at Candlestick Park. After a ten-day delay, the Athletics swept the Giants, winning all four games.
A New Home and a New Star: The Barry Bonds Era (1992–2007)
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After the 1989 World Series, there was talk of moving the team. In 1992, owner Bob Lurie put the team up for sale. A group wanted to buy the team and move them to Florida. But the National League owners voted against it. San Francisco's mayor worked hard to keep the team. A local group of investors bought the team instead.
The new owners made a big move. They signed star player Barry Bonds from the Pittsburgh Pirates. This was a huge signing for the team and its fans.
The Thrilling 1993 Season
The Barry Bonds era started great. Bonds had an amazing season in 1993, hitting 46 home runs. Matt Williams also had a great year. Pitchers John Burkett and Bill Swift each won over 20 games. The Giants won 103 games, a fantastic record! Manager Dusty Baker won Manager of the Year. But despite their great record, the Atlanta Braves won their division by just one game. The Giants lost the final game of the season, which was very disappointing. This season is remembered as "the last pure pennant race" before new playoff rules.
Challenges and Successes: 1994–2007
The years from 1994 to 1996 were tough for the Giants. A baseball strike in 1994 cut the season short. Matt Williams was on pace to break the single-season home run record, but the strike stopped him. The Giants finished in last place in 1995 and 1996. Barry Bonds continued to be a star. In 1996, he joined the "40–40 club" with 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases.
In 1997, Brian Sabean became the new general manager. He made some surprising trades. He traded Matt Williams and got players like Jeff Kent and J.T. Snow. These new players helped the Giants win the National League West title in 1997. But they were swept in the first round of the playoffs. In 1998, the Giants tied for a playoff spot but lost a tie-breaker game.
In 2000, the Giants moved into a brand new, privately financed stadium downtown. It was called Pac Bell Park, and is now known as Oracle Park. It sits on the shoreline of China Basin at McCovey Cove.
The 2000 Giants had the best record in all of Major League Baseball. Jeff Kent was named MVP, and Bonds hit 49 home runs. But the Giants lost in the playoffs again. In 2001, Bonds set a new single-season record with 73 home runs!
The 2002 World Series Run
In 2002, the Giants made the playoffs as a "wild card" team. They beat the Atlanta Braves in a tough five-game series. Then, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League Championship Series. Catcher Benito Santiago was named the MVP of the NLCS.
The Giants faced the Anaheim Angels in the World Series. The Giants led the series 3–2. In Game 6, they were leading 5–0 in the seventh inning. But the Angels made a comeback and won the game. The Angels then won Game 7 to claim the Series. It was a very close and exciting World Series.
After 2002, the team changed a lot. Manager Dusty Baker left. Many key players also left. In 2003, under new manager Felipe Alou, the Giants won 100 games. Bonds had another MVP season. But they lost in the playoffs to the Florida Marlins.
In 2004, Bonds won his seventh and final NL MVP award. He set new records for walks and on-base percentage. The 2005 season was not good. Bonds missed most of the season with an injury. On July 14, 2005, the Giants won their 10,000th game! They were the first professional sports team to reach that many wins. The Giants finished with a losing record in 2005 and 2006.
In 2007, the Giants signed new players, including pitcher Barry Zito. The biggest highlight of 2007 was Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's career home run record. On August 7, Bonds hit his 756th home run, becoming the all-time home run leader. The Giants announced they would not re-sign Bonds for 2008. He played his last game on September 26, 2007.
Rebuilding for the Future: 2008–2009
The 2008 season was the first without Barry Bonds since 1992. Young pitcher Tim Lincecum became a star. He won the 2008 NL Cy Young Award, becoming the first Giant to win it since 1967. The Giants finished in fourth place.
In 2009, the Giants added veteran pitcher Randy Johnson. Johnson became the 24th pitcher in major league history to win 300 games. Young pitcher Jonathan Sánchez threw a nearly perfect no-hitter on July 10. It was the first no-hitter at AT&T Park. Lincecum won his second straight NL Cy Young Award. The Giants also brought up a promising young catcher, Buster Posey. With new slugger Pablo Sandoval, the team looked forward to the next season.
The San Francisco Dynasty: 2010–2016
Most baseball experts did not expect the Giants to make the playoffs in 2010. But the Giants surprised everyone! They won the NL West division title for the first time since 2003. They then defeated the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs.
The Giants went on to win the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers. This was their first World Series championship since 1954. It was their first ever in San Francisco! Édgar Rentería was named the World Series MVP. Catcher Buster Posey was named NL Rookie of the Year.
In 2011, Buster Posey suffered a serious ankle injury. The Giants fought hard without him, thanks to their strong pitching staff. They finished second in their division.
More World Series Wins: 2012 and 2014
The Giants started the 2012 season slowly. But they caught fire in June. On June 13, Matt Cain pitched the first perfect game in the franchise's 130-year history! The Giants acquired Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro in trades. Despite losing Melky Cabrera to a suspension, the Giants won the NL West. Buster Posey won the NL MVP award.
In the NLDS, the Giants made an amazing comeback. They were down 2–0 but won three straight games against the Cincinnati Reds. They then came back from a 3–1 deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Marco Scutaro was the NLCS MVP. The Giants then swept the Detroit Tigers 4–0 in the 2012 World Series! Pablo Sandoval hit three home runs in Game 1 and was named World Series MVP.
The 2013 season was not as good. They finished in third place. However, Tim Lincecum threw his first no-hitter against the San Diego Padres.
In 2014, the Giants made the playoffs again. They defeated the Pirates in the Wild Card Game. Madison Bumgarner pitched a complete game shutout. The Giants then won the NLDS and NLCS. Travis Ishikawa hit a game-winning home run in Game 5 of the NLCS. Bumgarner was named MVP of the NLCS. The Giants faced the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 World Series. They won 4–3, with Madison Bumgarner being named the World Series MVP. This was the Giants' third championship in five years!
The 2015 season started slowly. But they had some good moments, including a home sweep of the Dodgers. On June 9, 2015, rookie Chris Heston pitched the 17th no-hitter in Giants history. Despite injuries, the Giants fought hard but missed the playoffs.
In 2016, the Giants had the best record in MLB at the All-Star break. But they struggled in the second half. They barely made the playoffs as a Wild Card team. Their run of even-year championships ended with a loss to the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS.
New Leadership and Recent Seasons: 2017–Present
The 2017 season was tough. Despite having a high payroll, the team finished with a poor record. Many key players were injured. In 2018, the Giants acquired Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen. But the season ended with another losing record. Buster Posey had hip surgery, which hurt the team late in the year.
After the 2018 season, Farhan Zaidi became the new head of baseball operations. He started making changes to build a stronger team. In 2019, Zaidi traded for Kevin Pillar and Mike Yastrzemski. These players helped improve the outfield. The Giants had a good winning streak in July. But they still finished with a losing record in manager Bruce Bochy's final season. After Bochy left, Gabe Kapler was hired as the new manager.
The 2020 season was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Giants finished with a 29–31 record, just missing the expanded playoffs.
In 2021, the Giants had an amazing season! They finished with 107 wins, the most in the franchise's history. They won the NL West division title, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game. Manager Gabe Kapler was named NL Manager of the Year. However, the Giants lost to the Dodgers in a close five-game NLDS. After the season, Buster Posey retired.
The Giants were not able to repeat their success in 2022 and 2023. They finished with losing records in both seasons. Gabe Kapler was fired in September 2023.
Images for kids
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Giants pitcher Ron Herbel in a 1963 issue of Baseball Digest
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The 1987 Giants at Candlestick. They made their first postseason appearance since 1971.
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Will Clark preparing to bat for the Giants at Candlestick Park in 1992.
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A "Save Our Giants" banner hanging from San Francisco City Hall.
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Tim Lincecum, 2008 Cy Young Award Winner.
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Pat Burrell in the Giants' 2010 World Series victory parade.
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The 2007 team during spring training.
