From their earliest days the Giants have been among the best teams in the National League NL Their 23 league championships rank number one Only three teams have won more than the Giants eight World Series championships The Giants history spans three centuries and two coasts The team’s first season was in 1883 in New York The team was known as the Gothams It didn’t become known as the Giants until 1885 The Giants won their first NL titles in 1888 and 1989 They won five World Series in New York Their last was in 1954 The team moved to California after the 1957 season As the San Francisco Giants the team was often blessed with wonderful players But for the team’s first 52 years in California the Giants didn’t win a World Series It wasn’t until 2010 that the Giants finally won it all A crazy cast of characters led the way Long-haired ace pitcher Tim Lincecum bearded reliever Brian Wilson and colorful first baseman Aubrey Huff led the Giants past the Texas Rangers in five games Then they won it again in 2012 and 2014 3 Complete-game shutouts Christy Mathewson pitched in the 1905 World Series The Giants beat the Philadelphia Athletics for the title The World Series win was the Giants first The Giants had refused to play the 1904 World Series because manager John McGraw said the upstart American League AL was inferior THE GIANTS STAND TALL 1 4
Pitcher Madison Bumgarner lifts the World Series trophy after the Giants won their eighth championship in 2014 5
A few players hit more home runs than Willie Mays Others had higher batting averages stole more bases and had more hits But many baseball experts believe Mays was the best all-around player who ever lived If there were a baseball god it would be him said former NL president and longtime player Bill White Nobody could play like he could Nobody Mays played 21 seasons with the Giants first in New York and then in San Francisco He last played for the Giants in 1972 He’s still a large presence at AT T Park in San Francisco A 9-foot 2 7-m bronze statue of Willie Howard Mays Jr stands outside the park’s Mays Gate He’s shown gazing into the distance after a swing as if watching one of his 660 home runs When Mays played baseball his joy was apparent He was a gifted player who could do it all Great all-around Willie Mays was elected to the hall of fame in 1979 WILLIE MAYS DOES IT ALL 2 6
players in the sport are called five-tool players They can hit for average hit with power run throw and field Mays had all the tools I’ve answered the question a million times said legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully Who’s the best player you ever saw Hands down it’s Willie Mays hit 302 for his career had 3,283 hits and led the NL in homers four times He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979 THINK ABOUT IT Who do you believe is the greatest baseball player What makes him better than the rest Write three or four sentences to explain your answer 13 At-bats needed for Willie Mays to record his first major league hit in 1951 Mays signed his first professional contract at age 16 in the Negro American League Black players had to play in the Negro Leagues because MLB teams refused to sign black players until 1947 He lost almost two full seasons because of military service in 1952 and 1953 His 660 home runs were second all-time when he retired in 1973 Willie Mays leaps high into the air to make a catch for the Giants in a 1959 game against the Milwaukee Braves 7
