SF Giants 1910's History

My next blog of the San Francisco Giants will be the following 10 years, which was the 1910’s.

 

(1911)

The Giants led the league with a record of 347 stolen bases. They were nicknamed the “running” Giants. The Giants overcame the rebuilding of the Polo Grounds to collect 99 wins, which was good enough to earn the Giants the National League Pennant. The rebuilding of the Polo Grounds was happening because the stadium was burned to the ground in April of 1911. The Giants played their games at the park of the New York Highlanders. The Giants headed back to the World Series where it was a rematch of the 1905 series against the Philadelphia Athletics. Christy Mathewson still led the Giants pitching staff, collecting 26 wins while losing 13. Mathewson threw a 6 hitter in Game 1, where the Giants won by a score of 2-1. The Giants lost both games 2 and 3 thanks to Frank “Home Run” Baker. Baker hit 2 dramatic home runs within these games. The Giants were looking at a 3 games to 1 deficit heading into game 4 thanks to Chief Bender outpitching Mathewson. The Giants prevailed to win game 6 in extra innings. The World Series ended in 1911 in game 6 with the Giants losing 13-2 in the decisive game.

Check out the polo grounds here! 

 

(1912)

The Giants, who were leaned upon by Rube Marquard’s 19 game winning streak, lived a storybook season where they won 103 games. The Giants roll to the 2^nd of 3 straight National League Pennants in 1912. Marquard finished with 26 wins, while Mathewson added 23 in the season. Larry Doyle was the MVP for the Giants, while catcher Chief Meyers hit for the cycle and Josh Devore stole 5 bases in a single game for the Giants. The Giants went back to the World Series this year, where there magic would end in the 10^th inning of game 7 in the World Series. Jeff Tesreau got the nod in game 1 where the Red Sox defeated Tesreau by a score of 4-3. Game 2 was called due to darkness, making the World Series an 8 game war. The Giants evened the series collecting a 2-1 win behind the pitching arm of Marquard. The Red Sox got the better of Tesreau again in game 4 as they earned a 3-1 win. The Giants bounced back from a 2 games to 1 series deficit as they won games 6 and 7, with scores of 5-2 and 11-4. The Series came down to the last game and ended in extra innings thanks to a routine fly ball that all too reliable outfielder Fred Snodgrass dropped and cost the Giants the game and the series.   

 

 

 

  

 
 

 

Fred Snodgrass 1908-1915

 

 

 

(1913)

The Giants earned another National League title thanks to 3 20 game winning pitchers. Mathewson threw a ridiculous 68 straight innings without walking a batter. Unfortunately, the Giants once again fall short in the World Series this year. This was the 3^rd straight trip to the World Series for the Giants and all 3 times ended in the same result. They lost this time to the Philadelphia Athletics again, falling 4 games to 1 in the series. Injuries haunted the Giants in the World Series as 1^st baseman Fred Merkle was limited to 13 at-bats with a bad leg, center fielded Fred Snodgrass played in only 2 games and batted 3 times after sustaining a really bad charley horse and catcher Chief Meyers was sidelined after suffering a fractured finger in game 2.

 

(1917)

After 3 straight disappointing seasons, the Giants returned to the top of the National League in 1917. However, the Giants postseason flaws continued as they lost for the 4^th straight time in the World Series, this time to the Chicago White Sox. The Giants fell to the White Sox in 6 games.

Polo Grounds before and after the burning of the stadium.

The Giants were on a roll in this era. They won back to back to back National Leaue pennants. For the upcoming Giants, this is kind of cool because when your trying to prove yourself in baseball, winning pennants consecutively is a great way to prove that you have what it takes to win. This timespan only leads to greater things in the next timespan. The Giants only get better from here.