What sport is played by the San Francisco Giants?

The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1883 as the New York Gothams, and renamed three years later to the New York Giants, the team eventually moved to San Francisco in 1958. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division.

As one of the longest-established and most successful professional baseball teams, the franchise has won the most games of any team in the history of American baseball. The team was the first major league team based in New York City, most memorably playing at the legendary Polo Grounds. They have won 23 NL pennants and have played in 20 World Series competitions – both NL records. The Giants' eight World Series championships rank second in the National League and are tied for fourth overall (New York Yankees are first with 27, then the St. Louis Cardinals (the National League record-holders) with 11, the Oakland Athletics with 9, and the Boston Red Sox also with 8). The Giants have played in the World Series 20 times – 14 times in New York, six in San Francisco – but boycotted the event in 1904.

The Giants have won six pennants and three World Series championships since arriving in San Francisco. Those three championships have come in 2010, 2012, and most recently in 2014, having defeated the Kansas City Royals four games to three during the 2014 World Series.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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27 Comments

Jas Newman

Re the statement that the Giants "have won 23 NL pennants and have played in 20 World Series competitions."—It seems those numbers should be the same, in view the fact that winning the pennant normally moves a team into the World Series competition. It would have been more interesting if the explanation had explained the discrepancy.

djs

Irma Rivera, Yankees is my Dad's team.

james parrillo

After reading the explanation, I remember my grandfather saying he was so disappointed when the Giants moved from the East Coast to California. I have not thought about the San Fransisco Giants for many years. I researched and was surprised to learn that California does have four cricket leagues and many other states have them, as well. New Jersey, my home state, has two. I have never heard of anyone in America playing cricket, and at many levels. Thank you, Christine, James's wife

skrueger

Jas Newman, The Giants won 2 pennants before the World Series was established. And as stated in the answer, in 1904 (which would have been the 2nd World Series), the Giants owner refused to play the winner of the upstart American League. He didn't consider the 4 year old American League as a major league at that time. That accounts for the 3 times the Giants didn't appear in the World Series.

earlepg

I became a fan when they moved to nearby San Francisco in 1958.

silrem

hdfernandez, you mean the NEW JERSEY GIANTS.

hdfernandez

Got it. Not the New York Giants as in Football! Lol

Don Coon

Tried to catch me off guard almost succeeded.

Mark Thomasy

Selected baseball, came up fotball...

John W Shreve

It must have been confusing when, in New York, both the NFL and Major League Baseball teams were called the Giants. The current New York Giants still frequently refer to themselves as the New York Football Giants. I think that's silly as most of the people who remember when the baseball team relocated to San Francisco in 1958 are dead.