San Francisco Giants

NicknameThe original name of the team was the Gothams. One day after they beat the Philadelphia Phillies, teamm founder Jim Mutrie came into the locker room saying, “My big fellows! My giants!” From then on, the club was known as the Giants.

Almost half of the original Gotham players were members of the old Troy Trojans, whose place in the National League the Gothams had taken. The team won its first National League pennant in 1888, as well as a victory over the St. Louis Browns in an early incarnation of the World Series. They repeated as champions the next year with a pennant and World Series victory over the Brooklyn Bridegrooms. [The modern World Series, between the American and National Leagues, would not come about until the American League was actually formed!]

“My big fellows! My giants!” From then on, the club was known as the Giants.

After more than half a decade in New York, the Giants moved to San Francisco after the 1957, as part of a deal that also brought the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. (The Dodgers wanted to move, but under the rules of the day could not, unless another baseball team went with them.)

*Record By Decade‘1958-1959Bill Rigney, who had coached the team for its last two years in New York, continued as coach once they San Francisco. They ended the decade with two winning seasons.1960-1969Although Rigney’s final season, 1960, was a winning one, he was placed as coach by Alvin Dark in 1961. Dark would coach until 1965, winning seasons all, then be replaced by Herman Franks, who had four winning seasons of his own before being replaced in 1969 by Clyde King. 1970-1979Clyde King coached for half a year in 1970, then was replaced by Charlie Fox, who continued to coach until 1974. He was replaced by Wes Westrum in 1975. Rigney returned for a year - 1976, then Joe Altobelli took over for the rest of the decade. 1980-1989Dave Bristol coached in 1980, then Frank Robinson coached from 1981 to 1984. In 1985, Jim Davenport coached for half a season before being replaced by Roger Craig, who coached for the rest of the decade. Craig’s teams were successful in this decade, he did not have a losing season.1990-1999Craig coached until 1992 - his final two seasons were losing ones. Dusty Baker took over in 1993 and coached for the rest of the decade, with winning seasons in the last three years.*2000-2008’Dusty Baker continued to coach until 2002. Although he had three winning seasons, he was nevertheless replaced by Felipe Alou. Alou coached until 2006. He was replaced by Bruce Bochy in 2007. Bochy has yet to have a winning season with the Giants.