History of San Francisco Giants in Timeline

The San Francisco Giants are a professional baseball team based in San Francisco, competing in MLB's National League West Division. Founded in 1883 as the New York Gothams and later renamed the New York Giants, the team relocated to San Francisco in 1958. Their home games are played at Oracle Park.

1900: Christy Mathewson Joins New York Giants

In 1900, Christy Mathewson joined the New York Giants as a pitcher (1900-16).

1902: John McGraw Joins New York Giants

In 1902, John McGraw joined the New York Giants as 3B (1902-06) and manager (1902-32).

1905: World Series vs. A's

In 1905, the Giants played the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.

1908: Merkle's Boner

In 1908, Merkle's Boner led to a season-ending matchup in New York between the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs.

1911: World Series vs. A's

In 1911, the Giants played the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.

1912: "Turn Back The Century" game replica uniforms

On June 6, 2012, the Giants and Cubs played in a "Turn Back The Century" game in which both teams wore replica 1912 uniforms.

1913: World Series vs. A's

In 1913, the Giants played the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.

1920: Yankees Domination Begins

After Babe Ruth's acquisition by the Yankees in 1920, the Yankees began to dominate baseball.

1921: World Series Win

In 1921, the New York Giants won the World Series.

1922: World Series Win

In 1922, the New York Giants won the World Series, sweeping the Yankees.

1923: World Series

The Giants and Yankees met in the 1923 World Series.

1931: Seals Stadium

In 1931, Seals Stadium was the home of the PCL's San Francisco Seals

1933: World Series Win

In 1933, the New York Giants won the World Series.

1936: World Series

The Giants and Yankees met in the 1936 World Series.

1937: World Series

The Giants and Yankees met in the 1937 World Series.

July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech

On July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave his farewell speech, famously stating he was the luckiest man on earth. He also declared that the Giants were a team he "would give his right arm to beat, and vice versa".

1944: Carl Hubbell's Number Retired

In 1944, Carl Hubbell (#11) became the first National Leaguer to have his number retired by his team.

1949: Russ Hodges Broadcasting Career Start

Russ Hodges began his broadcasting career with the Giants in 1949.

1951: "Shot Heard 'Round the World"

In 1951, Bobby Thomson hit the famous "Shot Heard 'Round the World".

1951: World Series

The Giants and Yankees met in the 1951 World Series.

1952: Willie Mays' Service in Korean War

In 1952, Willie Mays did not play in most of the season due to his service in the Korean War.

1953: Willie Mays' Service in Korean War

In 1953, Willie Mays did not play due to his service in the Korean War.

1954: "The Catch"

In 1954, Willie Mays made "the Catch" during Game 1 of the World Series.

1957: Move to California

After the 1957 season, both the Giants and the Dodgers relocated to California, continuing their rivalry.

1957: Relocation Announcement

After the 1957 season, the New York Giants announced their relocation to San Francisco.

1957: Seals Stadium

From 1931 to 1957, Seals Stadium was the home of the PCL's San Francisco Seals.

1957: Dodgers Move to Los Angeles

In 1957, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley decided to move the team to Los Angeles for financial reasons. He convinced Giants owner Horace Stoneham to move his team to San Francisco as well, preserving the rivalry.

April 15, 1958: First Game in San Francisco

On April 15, 1958, the Giants played their first game in San Francisco, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 8–0.

1958: Giants Move to San Francisco

In 1958, Willie Mays moved with the Giants to San Francisco.

1958: Start of 50 Years in San Francisco

In 1958, the Giants began their first 50 years in San Francisco.

1958: Move to California

In 1958, the Giants relocated to California, continuing their rivalry with the Dodgers, who also moved to California.

1958: Lon Simmons Broadcasting Career Start

Lon Simmons began his broadcasting career with the Giants in 1958.

1958: Giants and Dodgers Move to California

Since the two teams moved to California in 1958, the Dodgers have more total wins and head-to-head wins than the Giants.

1960: Move to Candlestick Park

In 1960, the Giants moved to Candlestick Park.

1961: End of KTVU Broadcast Relationship

In 1961, the Giants and KTVU mutually ended a relationship that dated to 1961.

1962: New York Mets Born

In 1962, after the Giants and Dodgers left New York, the New York Mets were formed in Queens. Their colors (blue and orange) were an homage to the recently departed teams.

1962: Lost World Series

In 1962, the Giants lost the World Series in seven games to the New York Yankees.

1968: Athletics Move to Oakland

In 1968, the Athletics moved from Kansas City to Oakland, renewing the rivalry with the Giants.

1969: Start of Division Play

Since the start of division play in 1969, the Dodgers have won the National League West 14 more times than the Giants.

1976: Lon Simmons Broadcasting Career

Lon Simmons continued his broadcasting career with the Giants in 1976.

1977: Uniform Change

For the 1977 season, the Giants switched to pullover uniforms with cursive script for "Giants" on the home uniform, black with orange trim, and an orange road uniform.

1978: Black Alternate Uniform

In 1978, the Giants added a black alternate uniform, an inverse of their road orange uniform, and all three uniforms featured the "Giants" script.

1980: Russ Hodges Wins Ford C. Frick Award

In 1980, broadcaster Russ Hodges won the Ford C. Frick Award and is honored in the Hall's "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit.

1983: Return to Traditional Uniform

Before the 1983 season, the Giants returned to a traditional buttoned uniform designed by Sidjakov Berman & Gomez with rounded lettering, removed neck stripes, and added the interlocking "SF" and black piping on the road gray uniform.

1983: Nod to 1983-1993 road uniforms

Between 2012 and 2019, the Giants wore a second gray road uniform that was similar to the primary roads, but with the "SF" in place of the city name (a nod to the 1983–1993 road uniforms).

1989: Giants beat Cubs in NLCS

In 1989 the Giants beat the Cubs in the National League Championship Series.

1989: Battle of the Bay World Series

In 1989, the Giants and Athletics played in the World Series, nicknamed the "Battle of the Bay", which Oakland swept. The series was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake.

1989: Bay Bridge World Series

In 1989, the Giants played the Oakland Athletics in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge World Series.

1993: Nod to 1983-1993 road uniforms

Between 2012 and 2019, the Giants wore a second gray road uniform that was similar to the primary roads, but with the "SF" in place of the city name (a nod to the 1983–1993 road uniforms).

1994: Uniform Changes

In 1994, the Giants reverted the road uniform to "San Francisco" in front, removed the piping, and returned to stylized block letters with pointed edges, while keeping the rounded numbers.

1996: Lon Simmons Broadcasting Career

Lon Simmons continued his broadcasting career with the Giants in 1996.

1997: Institution of Interleague Play

In 1997, interleague play was instituted, giving the Giants and Yankees limited opportunities to play each other.

1997: Jon Miller Broadcasting Career Start

Jon Miller began his broadcasting career with the Giants in 1997.

1998: Tiebreaker game in Chicago

The Giants and Cubs played a tiebreaker game in Chicago at the end of the 1998 season.

1999: Last Season at Candlestick Park

The Giants played at Candlestick Park until 1999.

2000: New Uniforms for Oracle Park Move

Coinciding with the move to Oracle Park (then Pacific Bell Park) in 2000, the Giants unveiled new uniforms that were aesthetically close to the style they originally wore in their early years, with numbers returning to a block letter style.

2000: Opening of Pacific Bell Park (Oracle Park)

In 2000, the Giants opened Pacific Bell Park, now known as Oracle Park.

2000: Road Uniform Wordmark

In 2000, the gray road uniform returned to the classic "San Francisco" wordmark used in the 1960s.

2001: Barry Bonds' Home Run Record

In 2001, Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs, breaking the record for most home runs in a season.

2001: Alternate Black Uniform

In 2001, the Giants added road and home alternate black uniforms, with the road alternate receiving gold drop shadows. The home design was dropped after only one season, and the road version was retired the following year.

2002: Lost World Series

In 2002, the Giants lost the World Series to the Anaheim Angels.

2002: Interleague Play at Yankee Stadium

In 2002, the Giants played the Yankees at the old Yankee Stadium in interleague play.

2002: Lon Simmons Broadcasting Career End

Lon Simmons ended his broadcasting career with the Giants in 2002.

2004: Lon Simmons Wins Ford C. Frick Award

In 2004, broadcaster Lon Simmons won the Ford C. Frick Award and is honored in the Hall's "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit.

2005: Road Uniform Gold Drop Shadows

In 2005, gold drop shadows were added to the "San Francisco" wordmark on the gray road uniform.

2006: Lon Simmons Broadcasting Career

Lon Simmons career with the Giants was in 2006.

2007: Bonds Surpasses Aaron's Career Record

In 2007, Barry Bonds surpassed Hank Aaron's career record of 755 home runs.

2007: Interleague Play at Oracle Park

In 2007, the Giants played the Yankees at Oracle Park (then known as AT&T Park) in interleague play.

2008: KNTV Broadcast Contract Begins

In 2008, KNTV's broadcast contract with the Giants began.

2009: Playoff Apperances

Between 1958 and 2009, the Giants made nine playoff appearances and won three NL pennants.

2010: Orange Alternate Uniform

Before the 2010 season, the Giants unveiled a new orange alternate uniform to be used on Friday home games, similar to the home uniform save for a trim change to cream.

2010: Sleeve Patch

Between 2000 and 2010, the patch featured 'SF' in orange letters in front of a baseball, with the full name added within a black circle.

2010: Jon Miller Wins Ford C. Frick Award

In 2010, broadcaster Jon Miller won the Ford C. Frick Award and is honored in the Hall's "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit.

2010: World Series Championship

In 2010, the Giants won the World Series under manager Bruce Bochy.

2010: Giants Win World Series

In 2010, the Giants won their first World Series in California.

2010: Rivalry with Philadelphia Phillies

The 2010 NLCS inaugurated a Giants rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies after confrontations between Jonathan Sánchez and Chase Utley, and between Ramón Ramírez and Shane Victorino.

2011: Sleeve Patch Changed on Orange Uniform

In 2011, the sleeve patch on the orange alternate uniform was changed to the one previously used on the team's road uniform.

2011: Sleeve Patch Changed

In 2011, the sleeve patch was changed to the one used on the home uniform.

2011: Rivalry with Philadelphia Phillies

The Giants rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies continued after confrontations between Jonathan Sánchez and Chase Utley, and between Ramón Ramírez and Shane Victorino. However, with the Philadelphia Phillies dropping off as one of the premier teams of the National League, this rivalry has died down since 2010 and 2011.

June 6, 2012: "Turn Back The Century" game

On June 6, 2012, the Giants and Cubs played in a "Turn Back The Century" game in which both teams wore replica 1912 uniforms.

2012: Second Gray Road Uniform

Between 2012 and 2019, the Giants wore a second gray road uniform that was similar to the primary roads, but with the "SF" in place of the city name.

2012: World Series Championship

In 2012, the Giants won another World Series title under manager Bruce Bochy.

2012: Road Uniform Black Piping

In 2012, the road uniform was tweaked to include black piping.

2013: Giants and Athletics Interleague Play

In 2013, the Giants and Athletics played only four interleague games against each other, two in each city.

2013: Interleague Play at Yankee Stadium

In 2013, the Giants played the Yankees at the current Yankee Stadium in interleague play.

2014: World Series Championship

In 2014, the Giants won the World Series.

2014: 23rd National League Pennant

In 2014, the Giants won their 23rd National League pennant, which was a record at the time.

2014: Orange Alternate Tweaks

In 2014, the orange alternate uniform was tweaked slightly, adding black piping and a new sleeve patch featuring the interlocking "SF" logo, and returning to the script "Giants" lettering previously used in the late 1970s.

2015: New Black Alternate Uniform

In 2015, the Giants unveiled a new black alternate uniform to be used on select Saturday home games featuring the interlocking "SF" in front along with orange piping and a new sleeve patch containing the Golden Gate Bridge.

2016: Giants TV Ratings

During the 2016 season, the Giants had an average 4.71 rating and 117,000 viewers on primetime TV broadcasts.

2016: Cubs Win NLDS

In 2016, the Cubs beat the Giants in the National League Division Series.

2016: Interleague Play at Yankee Stadium

In 2016, the Giants played the Yankees at the current Yankee Stadium in interleague play.

2019: Second Gray Road Uniform

Between 2012 and 2019, the Giants wore a second gray road uniform that was similar to the primary roads, but with the "SF" in place of the city name.

2019: Interleague Play at Oracle Park

In 2019, the Giants played the Yankees at Oracle Park in interleague play.

July 11, 2020: Will Clark's Number Retirement Postponed

On July 11, 2020, the Giants had originally scheduled to retire Will Clark's #22, but the ceremony was postponed.

2020: Player Names on Road Uniform Only

Until 2020, only the road uniform featured player names.

2021: Brandon Belt, Self-Proclaimed Captain

During the 2021 season, Brandon Belt gave himself the title of self-proclaimed captain, but this was not considered an official captaincy.

2021: Jon Miller Regular Calls Action

In 2021, Jon Miller regularly called the action on KNTV, which used to be exclusive to the NBC Bay Area channel.

2021: "City Connect" Program Introduction

In 2021, Major League Baseball and Nike introduced the "City Connect" program, with teams wearing special uniforms that reflect the pride and personality of their community. The Giants' version is a white base with orange accents, featuring the stylized "G" in an orange/white gradient representing the San Francisco fog.

2021: Player Names on All Uniforms

Since 2021, all Giants uniforms have player names on the back.

July 30, 2022: Will Clark's Number Retirement

On July 30, 2022, Will Clark's #22 was officially retired after being postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022: Brandon Belt, Self-Proclaimed Captain

During the 2022 season, Brandon Belt gave himself the title of self-proclaimed captain, but this was not considered an official captaincy.

2022: Will Clark's Number Retired

In 2022, the Giants retired Will Clark's number 22.

2022: Krukow's Limited Travel

Since the 2022 season, Krukow is unable to travel with the team due to his inclusion body myositis, the pair only work home games and select road games.

2023: Statistics Current

As of the end of the 2023 season, the provided statistics are current.

2023: Interleague Play at Yankee Stadium and Balanced Schedule

In 2023, the Giants played the Yankees at the current Yankee Stadium in interleague play and the advent of the balanced schedule format was introduced.

2024: Hall of Fame Representatives

As of 2024, the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame has inducted 66 representatives of the Giants (55 players and 11 managers) into the Hall of Fame.

2024: Dodgers Win World Series

In 2024, the Dodgers won their most recent World Series title.

2024: Dodgers Eclipsed Giants' Pennant Record

In 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers won their 25th NL crown, eclipsing the Giants' previous record of 23 pennants.

2024: A's last world championship

The A's last world championship was in 1989 (as of 2024).

2024: 2024 Season Record

Through 2024, the Giants have an all-time record of 11,541–10,019–163 (.535) and since moving to San Francisco in 1958, the Giants have an overall win–loss record of 5,474–5,121–6 (.517) through the end of 2024.

2025: "City Connect" Uniform Change

In 2025, Nike announced they were making changes the "City Connect" program, the Giants are confirmed to be changing their "City Connect" uniform for the 2025 Major League Baseball season.