San Francisco Giants facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Francisco Giants
2025 San Francisco Giants season
Established in 1883 Based in San Francisco since 1958
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	NY NY 3 4 11 20 22 24 25 27 30 36 44 42
Colors
Black, orange, metallic gold, cream
Name
San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885–1957) New York Gothams (1883–1884)
Other nicknames
The G-Men Los Gigantes The Orange and Black
Ballpark
Oracle Park (2000–present) Candlestick Park (1960–1999) Seals Stadium (1958–1959) Hilltop Park (1911) Polo Grounds III (1891–1957) Polo Grounds II (1889–1890) St. George Cricket Grounds (1889) Oakland Park (1889) Polo Grounds I (1883–1888)
Major league titles
World Series titles (8)	1905 1921 1922 1933 1954 2010 2012 2014
NL Pennants (23)	1888 1889 1904 1905 1911 1912 1913 1917 1921 1922 1923 1924 1933 1936 1937 1951 1954 1962 1989 2002 2010 2012 2014
West Division titles (9)	1971 1987 1989 1997 2000 2003 2010 2012 2021
Temple Cup (1)	1894
Pre-modern World Series (2)	1888 1889
Wild card berths (3)	2002 2014 2016
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Charles B. Johnson Greg E. Johnson (Chairman)
President	Larry Baer
President of baseball operations	Buster Posey
General manager	Zack Minasian
Manager	Bob Melvin

The San Francisco Giants are a professional baseball team located in San Francisco. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) West Division. The team started in 1883 as the New York Gothams. Three years later, they became the New York Giants. In 1958, the team moved from New York City to San Francisco. Today, the Giants play their home games at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

The Giants are one of the oldest and most successful teams in baseball history. They have won more games than any other team in major American sports. The team was the first major league baseball organization in New York City. They famously played many home games at different versions of the Polo Grounds. The Giants have played in the World Series 20 times. In 2014, they won their 23rd National League pennant. This record was later matched and then passed by their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their 25th NL title in 2024. The Giants have won eight World Series championships, which ties them for second-most in the NL with the Dodgers. They are tied for the fifth-most championships among all baseball teams.

While in New York, the team won 17 pennants and five World Series championships. Famous managers like John McGraw, Bill Terry, and Leo Durocher led the team. Star players from the New York era, including Christy Mathewson, Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, and Willie Mays, are among the 64 Giants in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is more than any other team. The Giants' rivalry with the Dodgers is one of the oldest and most famous in American sports. It began in New York and continued when both teams moved to California in 1958.

After moving west, the Giants faced a long 56-year period without winning a championship. This time included three World Series losses, even with great players like Mays and Barry Bonds. The championship drought finally ended in the early 2010s. Under manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants used new strategies and became a baseball dynasty. They won the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014. This made the Giants the second team in NL history to win three championships in five years.

As of the end of the 2024 season, the Giants' overall record is 11,541 wins, 10,019 losses, and 163 ties. This means they have won about 53.5% of their games. Since moving to San Francisco in 1958, their record is 5,474 wins, 5,121 losses, and 6 ties, winning about 51.7% of their games. The team's current manager is Bob Melvin.

Team History and Milestones

Early Years in New York City

The Giants started in New York City as the New York Gothams in 1883. They were known as the New York Giants from 1885 until they moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season. For most of their 75 years in New York, the Giants played home games at different versions of the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan.

Many famous players who are now in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum played for the New York Giants. These include John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, and Travis Jackson. While in New York, the team won five of its eight World Series titles (in 1905, 1921, 1922, 1933, and 1954). They also won 17 of their 23 National League pennants.

Famous moments from the Giants' time in New York include the 1922 World Series. In that series, the Giants beat the Yankees in four games. Another famous moment was the 1951 home run by Bobby Thomson, known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World". Also, Willie Mays made an amazing defensive play in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series, called "the Catch".

The Giants had strong rivalries with other New York teams, the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Giants played the Yankees in six World Series. They also played the Dodgers many times each season. Games between any two of these three teams were called the Subway Series. The Dodgers-Giants rivalry is still strong today because both teams moved to California after the 1957 season. The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. The New York Giants football team in the National Football League (NFL) is named after the baseball team.

Moving to San Francisco

Fans celebrating the Giants' 2014 World Series victory at San Francisco City Hall.

The Giants and their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, were the first Major League Baseball teams to play on the West Coast. On April 15, 1958, the Giants played their first game in San Francisco. They beat the Dodgers, who had also just moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, by a score of 8–0.

The Giants played for two seasons at Seals Stadium (which was home to the PCL's San Francisco Seals from 1931 to 1957). Then, in 1960, they moved to Candlestick Park. The Giants played at Candlestick Park until 1999. In 2000, they opened Pacific Bell Park (now known as Oracle Park), where they play today.

The Giants faced challenges in their first 50 years in San Francisco. They made it to the playoffs nine times and won three NL pennants between 1958 and 2009. The Giants lost the 1962 World Series in seven games to the New York Yankees. They were also swept in the 1989 World Series by their cross-Bay rivals, the Oakland Athletics. This series is famous for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which caused a 10-day delay between Games 2 and 3. The Giants also lost the 2002 World Series to the Anaheim Angels.

One of the team's biggest highlights during this time was the 2001 season. In that year, outfielder Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs, breaking the record for most home runs in a single season. In 2007, Bonds also passed Hank Aaron's career record of 755 home runs. Bonds finished his career with 762 home runs (586 of which he hit with the Giants), which is still the MLB record.

The Giants won three World Series championships in 2010, 2012, and 2014. This gave the team eight total World Series titles, including the five they won as the New York Giants.

Players who were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as members of the San Francisco Giants include Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, and Gaylord Perry.

Team Uniforms and Style

Uniform Changes Over the Years

When the Giants moved to San Francisco, they kept their New York uniform style. The cap logo changed to an interlocking "SF" in orange. The road uniform now said "San Francisco" in black letters with orange trim.

In 1973, the uniforms changed to a double-knit polyester fabric. The letters became orange with black trim, and player names were added to the back. The cap logo stayed the same.

For the 1977 season, the Giants switched to pullover uniforms. The "Giants" on the home uniform changed to a cursive script. The colors returned to black with orange trim. The road uniform became orange with black and white letters.

In 1983, the Giants went back to a traditional buttoned uniform. This design looked more like their early San Francisco uniforms. The letters became more rounded, and the caps were all black.

In 1994, the road uniform went back to saying "San Francisco" on the front. The letters on both uniforms became a stylized block shape with pointed edges.

Current Uniforms (2000–Present)

When the Giants moved to Oracle Park in 2000, they introduced new uniforms. These uniforms looked similar to the ones they wore in their early years.

Home Uniform

The home uniform changed to a cream color. The "Giants" wordmark kept its stylized block letters, but it was arranged in a radial arch. Gold drop shadows were added, and neck stripes returned. A sleeve patch with the team logo and "San Francisco Baseball Club" was also added.

Road Uniform

The gray road uniform brought back the classic "San Francisco" wordmark from the 1960s. In 2005, gold drop shadows were added. In 2012, black piping was added to this uniform. Until 2020, only the road uniform had player names on the back. Since 2021, all Giants uniforms have player names.

Black Alternate Uniforms

In 2001, the Giants added black alternate uniforms for both home and road games. The home black uniform was used for only one season. The road black uniform was retired the following year.

In 2015, the Giants introduced a new black alternate uniform for some Saturday home games. This uniform has the interlocking "SF" on the front with orange piping. It also has a new sleeve patch showing the Golden Gate Bridge above the "Giants" wordmark. Since 2025, this uniform is also worn for some road games.

Orange Alternate Uniforms

Before the 2010 season, the Giants added a new orange alternate uniform for Friday home games. This uniform is usually worn with a black cap that has an orange brim and the "SF" logo.

City Connect Uniforms

In 2021, Major League Baseball and Nike started the "City Connect" program. Teams wear special uniforms that show the unique spirit of their community. The Giants' first City Connect uniform was white with orange accents. It featured a stylized "G" with an orange and white fade, representing the San Francisco fog. An orange outline of the Golden Gate Bridge was on the sleeves. These uniforms were usually worn on Tuesday home games.

In 2025, the Giants introduced their new City Connect 2.0 uniforms. These jerseys are dark gray/black with "Giants" in a script wordmark that has a purple and orange fade. The sleeves have a special glove design that says "San Francisco Giants Est 1958" in a style similar to 1960s San Francisco rock music posters. The jersey also has wave patterns, called "sound waves," that look like grooves on a vinyl record. The front jersey numbers are orange in a fun font. The hat has the "SF" in the same font with a faded brim. The pants are white with faded piping.

Team Rivalries

Giants vs. Dodgers: A Long-Standing Rivalry

The rivalry between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers is one of the longest in sports history. It began in the late 1800s when both teams were in New York City. The Dodgers were in Brooklyn, and the Giants played in Manhattan.

After the 1957 season, the Dodgers' owner, Walter O'Malley, decided to move his team to Los Angeles for financial reasons. He convinced the Giants' owner, Horace Stoneham, to move his team to San Francisco. This kept their rivalry alive on the West Coast. New York baseball fans were very sad about the move. Since Los Angeles and San Francisco have always been rivals in many ways, their new locations were perfect for continuing this old baseball rivalry. After the Giants and Dodgers left New York, a new team, the New York Mets, was formed in 1962. The Mets' colors (blue and orange) were a tribute to the two teams that had left.

This rivalry is considered one of the greatest in sports history because both teams have lasted over a century and moved across the country. The rivalry grew from being between two city teams to two state teams.

Both teams have had periods of success against each other. The Giants have more total wins and head-to-head wins in their overall history. However, the Dodgers have more total wins and head-to-head wins since both teams moved to California in 1958. The Dodgers have also won the National League West division 14 more times than the Giants since division play started in 1969. Both teams have made the postseason as a National League wild card three times. The Giants won their first World Series in California in 2010. The Dodgers won their most recent World Series in 2024. As of the end of the 2024 baseball season, the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the San Francisco Giants in California World Series wins, 7–3. In 20th-century New York, the Giants led the Dodgers in World Series championships, 5–1. Overall, the two teams are tied with 8 World Series championships each.

Giants vs. Athletics: The Bay Bridge Series

The Giants also have a local rivalry with the American League Athletics, who play across the Bay in Oakland. This rivalry grew a lot with the 1989 World Series, which was called the "Battle of the Bay." Oakland won that series, which was famously stopped by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake just before Game 3 in San Francisco.

This rivalry actually goes back to when the Giants were in New York and the Athletics were in Philadelphia. They played each other in the World Series in 1905, 1911, and 1913. The rivalry was renewed in 1968 when the Athletics moved from Kansas City to Oakland. Since 1997, when interleague play began, the two teams usually play each other six times every season.

The Giants and A's had a smaller rivalry at the start of the 1900s. This was before the Yankees became dominant after getting Babe Ruth in 1920. The teams were managed by legendary leaders John McGraw (Giants) and Connie Mack (Athletics). They were considered friendly rivals and top managers of that time. As the New York Giants and Philadelphia A's, they met in three World Series. The Giants won in 1905, and the A's won in 1911 and 1913. After becoming the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's, they met in a fourth World Series in 1989. This was the A's last World Series championship as of 2024.

Giants vs. Yankees: An Old New York Rivalry

Even though they are in different leagues, the Giants and Yankees have also been historical rivals. This rivalry started in New York before the Giants moved to the West Coast. Before interleague play began in 1997, the two teams rarely played each other. They only met in seven World Series: in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1936, 1937, 1951, and 1962. The Yankees won five of these seven series.

The teams have played five times in regular season interleague games. These games happened in 2002, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2023. With the new balanced schedule format introduced in 2023, the teams now play each other every year.

In his famous farewell speech on July 4, 1939, Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig said that the Giants were a team he "would give his right arm to beat, and vice versa."

Baseball Hall of Fame Members

As of 2024, the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame has inducted 66 people who represent the Giants. This includes 55 players and 11 managers. This is more than any other team in baseball history.

Christy Mathewson

Mel Ott

Ford C. Frick Award Winners

Other Honored Individuals

Some Hall of Fame members played or managed for the Giants but were inducted for their work with other teams. For example, Cap Anson managed the Giants in 1898 but was inducted as a player. Frank Robinson managed the Giants from 1981 to 1984 but was inducted as a player.

Broadcasters Russ Hodges, Lon Simmons, and Jon Miller are honored in the Hall's "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit. They won the Ford C. Frick Award for their broadcasting work.

Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Members

Barry Bonds

Madison Bumgarner

Orlando Cepeda

Will Clark

Jeffrey Leonard

Tim Lincecum

Willie Mays

Juan Marichal

Willie McCovey

Gaylord Perry

Giants Wall of Fame

The Giants Wall of Fame honors retired players who have achieved great things and played for the San Francisco Giants for a long time.

To be honored, players must have played at least nine seasons for the San Francisco Giants. Or, they must have played five seasons with at least one All-Star selection as a Giant. Another way is to have won three World Series championships as a Giant.

Key

Year	Year inducted
Bold	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Giant

San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame
Year	No.	Name	Position(s)	Tenure
2008	23, 49	Felipe Alou	OF/1B Manager	1958–1963 2003–2006
	46	Gary Lavelle	P	1974–1984
	33	Jim Barr	P	1971–1978 1982–1983
	10	Johnnie LeMaster	SS	1975–1985
	14, 24	Willie Mays	CF	1951–1952, 1954–1972
	47	Rod Beck	P	1991–1997
	00, 20, 26	Jeffrey Leonard	LF	1981–1988
	14	Vida Blue	P	1978–1981 1985–1986
	8, 17, 19	Kirt Manwaring	C	1987–1996
	44	Willie McCovey	1B	1959–1973 1977–1980
	42	Bobby Bolin	P	1961–1969
	27	Juan Marichal	P	1960–1973
	49	Jeff Brantley	P	1988–1993
	15, 22	Jack Clark	RF/1B	1975–1984
	29, 40	Mike McCormick	P	1956–1962 1967–1970
	15, 19	Bob Brenly	C	1981–1988 1989
	32, 33, 40, 51	John Burkett	P	1987 1990–1994
	23, 37	Stu Miller	P	1957–1962
	25	Bobby Bonds	RF	1968–1974
	30	Orlando Cepeda	1B	1958–1966
	17, 39	Randy Moffitt	P	1972–1981
	38, 41	Greg Minton	P	1975–1987
	7, 9	Kevin Mitchell	LF	1987–1991
	22	Will Clark	1B	1986–1993
	34, 39	Mike Krukow	P	1983–1989
	12	Jim Davenport	3B Manager	1958–1970 1985
	26, 50	John Montefusco	P	1974–1980
	30, 33	Chili Davis	OF	1981–1987
	9, 10, 60	Matt Williams	3B	1987–1996
	31	Robb Nen	P	1998–2002
	2	Dick Dietz	C	1966–1971
	22, 28, 35, 36	Gaylord Perry	P	1962–1971
	41	Darrell Evans	3B/1B	1976–1983
	16	Jim Ray Hart	3B/LF	1963–1973
	48	Rick Reuschel	P	1987–1991
	6	J. T. Snow	1B	1997–2005 2008
	23, 26, 29	Tito Fuentes	2B	1965–1974
	42, 45, 46	Kirk Rueter	P	1996–2005
	31, 43, 50, 52, 54	Scott Garrelts	P	1982–1991
	6	Robby Thompson	2B	1986–1996
	5, 51	Tom Haller	C	1961–1967
	2, 35	Chris Speier	SS	1971–1977 1987–1989
	7, 14, 17	Atlee Hammaker	P	1982–1985 1987–1990
2009	21	Jeff Kent	2B	1997–2002
2010	33, 35, 57	Rich Aurilia	SS	1995–2003 2007–2009
	36, 55	Shawn Estes	P	1995–2001
2011	7, 56	Marvin Benard	OF	1995–2003
	29	Jason Schmidt	P	2001–2006
2017	25	Barry Bonds	LF	1993–2007
2018	18, 43	Matt Cain	P	2005–2017
	33, 38	Brian Wilson	P	2006–2012
	14, 32, 51	Ryan Vogelsong	P	2000–2001 2011–2015
2019	—	Peter Magowan	Managing General Partner	1993–2008
2021	—	Bob Lurie	Owner	1976–1993
2022	8	Hunter Pence	RF	2012–2018 2020
2023	—	Mike Murphy	Clubhouse Manager	1958–2023
2024	41	Jeremy Affeldt	P	2009–2015
	46	Santiago Casilla	P	2010–2016
	49	Javier López	P	2010–2016
	54	Sergio Romo	P	2008–2016

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Giants have retired 11 numbers in their history. Most recently, Will Clark's number 22 was retired in 2022.

Christy Mathewson P   Honored 1988 John McGraw 3B Mgr Honored 1988 Bill Terry 1B Mgr, GM Retired 1984 Mel Ott RF Mgr Retired 1949 Carl Hubbell P   Retired 1944 Monte Irvin LF   Retired June 26, 2010 Will Clark 1B   Retired July 30, 2022 Willie Mays CF   Retired May 12, 1972 Barry Bonds LF   Retired August 11, 2018 Juan Marichal P   Retired 1975 Orlando Cepeda 1B   Retired July 11, 1999 Gaylord Perry P   Retired July 23, 2005 Willie McCovey 1B   Retired September 21, 1980 Jackie Robinson* – All MLB Honored April 15, 1997

* Retired throughout the major leagues; Robinson actually was traded to the Giants, but retired before playing a game for them.

All Giants players whose numbers have been retired, except for Bonds and Clark, are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1944, Carl Hubbell (#11) was the first National League player to have his number retired by his team. Bill Terry (#3), Mel Ott (#4), and Hubbell played or managed their entire careers for the New York Giants. Willie Mays (#24) started his career in New York and moved with the Giants to San Francisco in 1958. He did not play for most of 1952 and all of 1953 because he served in the Korean War. Christy Mathewson and John McGraw are honored by the Giants, but they played before uniform numbers were common in baseball.

The Giants had planned to retire Will Clark's #22 on July 11, 2020. However, the ceremony was postponed until July 30, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other Honored Figures

John McGraw (3B, 1902–06; manager, 1902–32) and Christy Mathewson (P, 1900–16) played for the New York Giants before uniform numbers were used. They have the letters "NY" displayed instead of a number.

Broadcasters Lon Simmons, Russ Hodges, and Jon Miller are each represented by an old-style radio microphone. This is displayed in place of a number to honor their contributions.

The Giants give out the Willie Mac Award every year. This award goes to the player who best shows the spirit and leadership that Willie McCovey displayed throughout his career.

Team Captains

The Giants have had ten official team captains over the years:

• Jack Doyle, 1902
• Dan McGann, 1903–1907
• Larry Doyle, 1908–16
• Gus Mancuso, 1937–38
• Mel Ott, 1939–47
• Alvin Dark, 1950–56
• Willie Mays, 1961–72
• Willie McCovey, 1977–80
• Darrell Evans, 1980–83
• Jack Clark, 1984

During the 2021 and 2022 seasons, player Brandon Belt called himself the "self-proclaimed captain." However, this was not an official title given by the team.

Team Records and Statistics

Note: These statistics are current as of the end of the 2023 season.

Home Stadiums Through the Years

New York Stadiums

• Polo Grounds I (1883–1888)
• Oakland Park (1889)
• St. George Cricket Grounds (1889)
• Polo Grounds II (1889–1890)
• Polo Grounds III (1891–1957)
  • Hilltop Park (1911 due to 1911 fire)

San Francisco Stadiums

• Seals Stadium (1958–1959 after moved to San Francisco)
• Candlestick Park (1960–1999)
• Oracle Park (2000–present) also known as AT&T Park, SBC Park, and Pacific (Pac) Bell Park

Team Roster

Minor League Teams

The San Francisco Giants have a farm system with seven minor league teams.

Broadcasts: Radio and Television

Giants baseball games are shown on NBC Sports Bay Area (cable TV). Some games are also shown on KNTV (broadcast TV). KNTV's contract with the Giants started in 2008. Jon Miller often calls the games on KNTV. The announcers for NBC Sports Bay Area (NBCSBA) are Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, known as "Kruk and Kuip."

Since the 2022 season, Mike Krukow cannot travel with the team due to a health condition. So, he and Kuiper only work home games and some road games. For road games, Kuiper is at the away ballpark, and Krukow is at the NBC Sports Bay Area studio in San Francisco. Shawn Estes, Javier López, and Hunter Pence are alternate analysts for other Giants road games.

The Giants' main radio station is KNBR (680 AM). KNBR's owner, Cumulus Media, is a part-owner of the team. Jon Miller and Dave Flemming are the regular play-by-play announcers. Joe Ritzo and F.P. Santangelo fill in when Jon is not there and Dave is on TV. You can hear the Giants throughout Northern California and parts of Nevada, Oregon, and Hawaii on the Giants Radio Network. Erwin Higueros and Tito Fuentes broadcast games in Spanish on KXZM (93.7 FM).

Team Music and Songs

The team's fight song, "Bye, Bye Baby!", was first used for Giants radio broadcasts on KSFO. Now, it is played after any Giants home run. The song plays in the stadium, and an instrumental version is played on TV broadcasts when the inning with the home run ends. The title and chorus come from famous former Giants broadcaster Russ Hodges, which was his home run call.

After a Giants home win, Tony Bennett's song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" is played at Oracle Park to celebrate.

More About the Giants

• List of San Francisco Giants team records
• List of San Francisco Giants managers

See also

In Spanish: San Francisco Giants para niños