San Francisco Giants

Quick Facts

  • Founded: 1883

  • Original Name/City: New York Gothams

  • Current Ballpark: Oracle Park

  • World Series Titles: 8 (1905, 1921, 1922, 1933, 1954, 2010, 2012, 2014)

  • Franchise Nicknames: The Orange and Black, The Jints

A History of the San Francisco Giants

The Giants boast one of the richest histories in all of baseball, beginning in New York City, where they were founded as the Gothams in 1883. As the New York Giants, they were one of the National League's premier franchises, winning five World Series titles.

Their home, the Polo Grounds, was the site of many legendary moments, including "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" in 1951 and Willie Mays’ “The Catch” in 1954 — an incredible over-the-shoulder grab that’s still considered one of the greatest defensive plays of all time.

Along with their rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Giants moved west to California after the 1957 season, becoming the San Francisco Giants. The move brought stars like Mays and Willie McCovey to the Bay Area, but a championship eluded them for 50 years. The franchise's next iconic superstar was Barry Bonds, one of the most dominant and controversial hitters in history. His pursuit of baseball's all-time home run record captivated the nation in the early 2000s.

After moving into their beautiful waterfront ballpark, now named Oracle Park, in 2000, the franchise's long championship drought in San Francisco finally came to an end. A new era of success, built on homegrown pitching and a gritty, team-first ethos, led to a remarkable dynasty.

Led by quirky ace Tim Lincecum and star catcher Buster Posey, the Giants won three World Series championships in a five-year span (2010, 2012, and 2014), cementing their place as one of the great dynasties of the 21st century.

Franchise Timeline

  • 1883: Founded as the New York Gothams.

  • 1885: Renamed the New York Giants.

  • 1905: Won their first World Series.

  • 1954: Won their final World Series in New York.

  • 1958: Relocated to San Francisco.

  • 2000: Moved into their current ballpark, Oracle Park.

  • 2010, 2012, 2014: Won three World Series in a five-year span.

  • 2007: Barry Bonds breaks the all-time home run record.

Legendary Players

Willie Mays (1951-1972)

  • "The Say Hey Kid" is arguably the greatest all-around baseball player in history. A dynamic five-tool centerfielder, Mays awed fans for two decades with his incredible power, speed, and defense, highlighted by "The Catch." He hit 660 home runs and was the undisputed heart of the team in both New York and San Francisco.

Barry Bonds (1993-2007)

  • One of the most feared and statistically dominant hitters of all time, Bonds set the single-season (73) and all-time career (762) home run records as a Giant. He won a record seven MVP awards, five of them in San Francisco, producing offensive numbers that may never be matched.

Christy Mathewson (1900-1916)

  • The first true ace of the New York Giants, Mathewson was a collegiate gentleman known for his intelligence and his "fadeaway" pitch (now known as a screwball). He was one of the "Five Immortals" in the Hall of Fame's inaugural class and pitched an incredible three shutouts in the 1905 World Series.

Buster Posey (2009-2021)

  • Buster Posey was the humble, brilliant leader of the modern Giants dynasty. The 2010 Rookie of the Year and 2012 NL MVP, Posey's calm demeanor, elite defense, and clutch hitting were the common denominators in all three of the franchise's recent World Series championships.