A Basic History of the San Francisco Giants Baseball Team

The San Francisco Giants are a professional team that plays in Major League Baseball. The Giants play in the West Division of the National League.

The franchise was founded in 1883 in New York as the New York Gothams. In 1885, the team changed its name to the Giants and was the New York Giants until 1957.

Following the 1957 season, the team moved from New York to San Francisco and began the 1958 season as the San Francisco Giants.

While in New York, the team played its home games at the Polo Grounds, Oakland Park, St. George Grounds, and Hilltop Park.

When the Giants first moved to San Francisco, they played at Seals Stadium from 1958-1959.

From 1960-1999, the team played its home games at Candlestick Park, which was known as 3Com Park at Candlestick Point from 1997-1999.

Following the 1999 season, the team moved to its current location. From 2000-2003, the stadium was called Pacific Bell Park. From 2004-2005, it was known as SBC Park. The stadium is currently called AT&T Park.

The San Francisco Giants have won the West Division six times. They won it in 1971, 1987, 1989, 1997, 2000, and 2003. They also won the Wild Card in 2002.

The franchise has won the National League twenty times with seventeen coming in New York. The franchise won the National League in 1988, 1989, 1904, 1905, 1911-1913, 1917, 1921-1924, 1933, 1936, 1937, 1951, 1954, 1962, 1989, and 2002.

All five World Series titles in franchise history came while the team was still in New York. The Giants won the World Series in 1905, 1921, 1922, 1933, and 1954.

Nine numbers are currently retired by the San Francisco Giants. The players whose jersey numbers have been retired are Bill Terry - 3, Mel Ott - 4, Carl Hubbell - 11, Willie Mays - 24, Juan Marichal - 27, Orlando Cepeda - 30, Gaylord Perry - 36, Jackie Robinson - 42, and Willie McCovey - 44. Robinson's number is retired throughout baseball. Terry and Ott both played and managed for the Giants.

Christy Mathewson and John McGraw played for the New York Giants before numbers were worn on jerseys, so they are honored by the initials "NY."

Former broadcasters Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons are also honored. Instead of numbers, they are honored with pictures of microphones.

The San Francisco Giants are currently owned by Peter Magowan, Sue Burns, and William Neukrom. The manager is Bruce Bochy, and the general manager is Brian Sabean.