Book Description
Covering the Giants from their years in New York to their 40+ years of thrills in San Francisco, fully updated "The Giants Encyclopedia: Second Edition" captures the continuing legend of the Giants. Among the players profiled are current single-season home run king Barry Bonds and Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, and Mel Ott. There are also detailed sketches about the Giants' greatest moments, their World Series championships, and their National League pennants through the most recent 2002 postseason.
Customer Reviews:
High and outside.......2000-07-19
Being a life-long Giants fan and probably only one of a few who has seen them play in four different home ballparks, perhaps I became too excited when I first learned of the pending release of this book and allowed my expectations to reach an unrealistic high. This would account for the major level of disappointment I felt upon obtaining and reading this book. It was horribly proofed and had the appearance of being hurridly put together. I was suprised more information about the manner in which the team came to New York from Troy, NY was not presented. I found the statistical data to be relatively useless and often contradictory to data found in the 3 major references of baseball statistics. Overall, this is not a very good reference and certainly beneath the work Mr. Peters has previously published about the Giants. Too bad, a little more effort could have produced a much better book, now we will have to wait for the next one.
THE GIANTS ENCYCLOPEDIA.......2000-04-18
I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THIS "ENCYCLOPEDIA" BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S INCOMPLETE WITH REGARD TO THE HISTORY OF ALL WHO HAVE PLAYED FOR THE GIANTS (BOTH NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO).. ALSO SOME OF THE PHOTOS ARE MISLABLED..NEEDS BETTER PROOF READING..BUT ALL IN ALL I AM GLAD TO HAVE IT IN MY COLLECTION OF GIANTS MEMORABILIA ETC.....
The Giants Encyclopedia.......2000-03-20
Without a doubt the best information on the Giants (both NY and San Fran) anywhere. Truly a fantastic book with more information about the Giants than anyone could ever want. As a lifelong Giants fan, this book is a dream come true.
A Must For All Giants' Fans.......2000-02-04
Very informative ... extremely well researched ... full of factual information ... the attention to detail is something all Giants' fan truly will appreciate ... a complete review of Giants' history, from Christy Mathewson to Barry Bonds ... great writing style that's easy to read and follow ... a wonderful combination of prose and statistics with tons of classic photos ... a must have for all baseball fans from New York to San Francisco.
Book Description
"Fifty Years by the Bay" is a literary documentary, covering all of the significant memories in San Francisco Giant history. This detailed account commences with the move West in 1958, through the 40 seasons at Candlestick Park, to a new beginning at Pacific Bell Park, into a new millennium, and onto the 2007 season. The work relives the key moments, teams, players and figures that made the franchise great. All of the memorable and celebrated moments are chronicled, including: · Through the years with the team, 1958 - 2007 · Top individual game feats · Significant seasonal performances · Successful career achievements · Features on all of the great San Francisco Giant players, including: ¨ Willie Mays
Customer Reviews:
A home run for Steve Bikter.......2007-03-10 Although the 1958 Giants were a little ahead of my time, author Steve Bitker really brought the Giants to life with his narrative of this historic team entering a new city. The real gem of this book, however, was Bitker's interviews with the members of the team. I really enjoyed reading first-hand accounts of players like Mike McCormick, Willie Kirkland, Leon Wagner, Stu Miller and yes, Willie Mays, etc. -- all players that I followed in the 1960s. Each player had his own unique insights on the team, the sport and his own life that really made me feel like I knew these guys. A must-have book not only for just Giants fans, but for baseball fans.
This book is perfect for any Giants fan.......2006-11-25 I love this book! If you are an SF Giants fan, or just a baseball fan in general, you'll enjoy Fifty Years by the Bay. Author Chuck Nan has really capsulized the SF Giants and their half-century in SF with great stories, stats and facts. I totally recommend this book!
Book Description
The Original San Francisco Giants is a nostalgic look at the team that brought Major League Baseball to San Francisco, the 1958 Giants. Author Steve Bitker, who attended his first big-league game in 1958 at age five at a charming little downtown ballpark called Seals Stadium, traveled as far as the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to interview virtually every surviving member of the team.
Customer Reviews:
Great book by true baseball fan.......2007-07-23 I met Steve when he came to Texas for the A's vs. Rangers series a few years back and I was working in the radio booth. I was impressed by his baseball knowledge and I so I bought the book. The book is a masterpiece and you got to get it if you are a Giants fan! I a Texas Rangers fan and loved it! Good stuff!
THE GIANTS MOVE WEST.......2005-01-10 THIS IS A WELL WRITTEN AND ACCUARTAE STORY ABOUT THE MOVE TO THE WEST COAST BY THE GIANTS IN 1958. FIRST IT COVERS THE SEASON MONTH BY MONTH AND THEN EACH LIVING PLAYER, COACH, AND MEDIA ARE INTERVIEWED ON THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE 1958 SEASON. THIS IS GREAT COLLECTION OF RARE AND CANDID INTERVIEWS WITH MAYS, CEPEDA, ALOU AND MANY OTHERS WHO WERE PART OF THAT HISTORIC TRANSITION. ALSO INCLUDED IS THE SCORE OF EACH GAME AND THE CAREER STATS OF THE ENTIRE ROSTER. YOU GET A LOT OF BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WITH THIS DETAILED AMD WELL WRITTEN PIECE OF NOSTALGIA.
Great Book.......2003-09-27 this was a very informing book and i loved it. i highly recommend it to anybody
Why the San Francisco Giants will never win a World Series!.......2002-07-07 The 1958 San Francisco Giants induce nostalgia not only because this was the first San Francisco Giants team but because they preceded the multiple heartbreaks that have since caused Giants fans to age rapidly.
1958 was before the 1959 collapse, in which the Giants blew a 2-game lead over the Dodgers with a week remaining in the season. It was before Willie McCovey's ninth-inning line drive in Game 7 of the 1962 World Series, smashed with the tying and winning runs on base, was snagged by New York Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson. It was before the five straight second-place finishes behind the Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-1960's and before the 1987 flop to the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series after the Giants had taken a 3-2 game lead. It was before the collapse of 1993, in which a 10-game lead over the Atlanta Braves was lost and before Dusty Baker's country club director-like "leadership" tranquilized the team into a ten-year sleepwalk.
The author, Bay Area sportscaster, Steve Bitker, brings us back to a year in which the Giants were new and different to the City, as fresh as a piping hot loaf of bread emerging from the Boudini Bakery overlooking Seals Stadium (players and fans could both enjoy this smell AND the smell of the hops from the nearby Hamms brewery).
The Giants were welcomed by all except for some diehard Seals fans, who mourned the necessary departure of their Pacific Coast League favorites. A-MAYS-ingly enough, the schism between working-class baseball fans and the City's baseball-disdaining jet set, which was exposed during the "ballpark" elections in the 1980's, didn't exist in 1958, as art-lovers took their transistor radios and earplugs into the Opera House in order to simultaneously enjoy both Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" and Willie's thefts of second base.
Bitker was able to find 36 surviving members from the 1958 team who consented to be interviewed for the book. These included Manager Bill Rigney; everyday stars such as Mays, Orlando "Baby Bull" Cepeda and Felipe Alou; pitching aces such as Ruben Gomez, John Antonelli, and Stu Miller; "almost-weres" such as Leon Wagner ("Daddy Wags"); "once-weres" such as Whitey Lockman and Hank Sauer; "would- later-becomes" such as Bill White; "coulda-beens" such as Willie Kirkland, Valmy Thomas, and Andre Rogers; and "we-were-theres" such as Jackie Brandt and Don Taussig.
Bitker also provides an overview of the Giants' departure from declining attendance in New York and of the welcome that they received from the City. He also gives a blow-by-blow account of a remarkable season in which a team, regarded by most analysts as both too young and too old to seriously compete, was in first place for much of the year. It would finish impressively in third place behind the Milwaukee Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates, but ahead of the rival Dodgers in the standings and would gloriously beat them 16 times (against 6 losses) in head-to-head competition ("WE MURDER THE BUMS", screamed the Chronicle headline, following Gomez's 8-0 victory over them on Opening Day).
But the hatred existing between the two teams starts to dissipate when they no longer share the same metropolitan area. And 1958 was NOT a sign of things to come. The Dodgers would enjoy greater success on the West Coast. And they would leave the Coliseum for a beautiful ballpark at Chavez Ravine while the Giants would leave their beloved (by all except Antonelli) Seals Stadium for a cavernous wind tunnel at Candlestick Point.
Bitker provides information about the curious circumstances that led to the construction of what was commonly believed to be the worst ballpark in the majors, where the Giants roamed for 40 years before returning downtown in 2000 to Pac Bell Park.
But let it never be forgot that the 1958 upstarts evolved into the 1962 pennant winners that came within three feet of besting the mighty Yankees for the world championship. And Giants fans must learn this brutal truth: it will never happen again. Even after Dusty Baker is led to the glue factory, the Giants will never again come as close as they did 40 years ago.
Bitker's narrative shows why. Say what you will about him, owner Horace Stoneham recognized the value of a productive farm system and invested heavily in the Giants` farm system. It responded by producing young stars such as Mays, McCovey, Cepeda, the Alous, and Jim Davenport, all of whom played crucial roles in 1962.
With the advent of free agency, the formula today is often different. But current Giants management is unable or unwilling to buy additional free agent superstars to complement Barry Bonds, while saddled with $170 million worth of debt service on their new privately financed ballpark. A good farm system might ultimately produce low-salaried but high quality championship-caliber youngsters. But there is a sense that Bay Area fans, more jaded than they were in 1958, will not support a youthful team experiencing growing pains for a few losing years while maturing into contenders.
So the Giants' strategy in the "Pac Bell" era has been to siphon off the cream of the farm system in exchange for aging, past-their-prime, low-maintenance veterans such as Eric Davis, Reggie Sanders and Shawon Dunston, in hopes of finding an occasional pearl (Ellis Burks) in the cracked oyster shells. It's a strategy destined to produce a number of 85-90 win seasons (fewer wins should be expected after the departure of the Great Barry) and zero championships.
The strategy is contrary to that which produced a near-champion in 1962, and Giants fans, like Sisyphus, must resign ourselves that for all eternity (or at least for another 15 years or so until the debt on the ballpark is paid off), the team is doomed to disappointment every time it arrives near the top of the mountain.
Until the end of eternity arrives, Giant fans can remain grateful to Bitker for taking us back to 1958 when the world was young.
Take Me Back To That Old Ball Game!.......2002-02-27 The year 1958 was truly a turning point for major league baseball, and for America. The country was booming. People were on the move, looking to cash in on a decade of postwar prosperity, and many of them headed west. The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers were part of that westward migration.
Steve Bitker's wonderful book about the original San Francisco Giants is a literary home run, bringing the memories back from that pivotal year with vivid clarity. For a true fan, watching the Giants play that season in Seals Stadium might have been the best seat in major league history. Located smack in the middle of a working class neighborhood, the stadium gave spectators a close-up view of the game and the atmosphere was enhanced by the smells of a bakery and brewery located nearby. (Pitcher Jim Brosnan, who visited Seals Stadium with a variety of teams from 1955-59, has a marvelous quote about the aroma factor on page 16).
In this era of 24/7 TV and cable channels, media superstars, and multi-million dollar contracts, we sometimes forget that not very long ago, pro sports had a much closer connection to the spectators in the stands. Sneaking off from work to catch an afternoon of baseball was as simple as grabbing a cab or jumping on the right bus line.
No more. Now we have massive all-weather ballparks, salary caps that only accountants can understand, and a seemingly endless search for added revenue every year.
If I had a time machine, I would set it for Seals Stadium in 1958, and I would stay there forever, watching every home game of the Original San Francisco Giants!
Book Description
The rich tradition of the San Francisco Giants has provided indelible memories for their fans ever since the franchise shifted from the Polo Grounds to Seals Stadium in 1958. The clu & has been blessed with a plethora of superstars from Willie Mays to Barry Bonds, along with colorful characters like John Montefusco and Jeffrey Leonard. Tales from the Giant's Dugout captures some of the humorous, interesting and poignant moments of the team's 45 years on the West Coast, from the excitement of the intense rivalry with the Dodgers, to bad-blood incidents, to the numerous highlights which comprise the vivid history of the franchise. From cozy Seals Stadium to beautiful Pacific Bell Park - and Candlestick Park, that much-maligned stop in between - the Giants have provided thrills and chills for their fans. Tales from the Giants Dugout will relive the magic and tragic moments of the franchise with stories involving Hall of Famers Willie McCovey, Juan Martichal, Orlando Cepeda, Gaylord Perry.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Collection of Stories.......2004-07-08 This book is written by a man who has covered the Giants professionally for over 40 years and he's done a nice job of compiling stories and anecdotes about the team since its move to San Francisco in 1958. There are stories from the 1960s through the 1990s, detailing the Giants' successes and failures, their post season history and how close they've come to winning it all, only to have it end in frustration. There are stories about Candlestick, truly one of the most miserable places to endure watching a Giants' game, and also stories about the team's great stars: Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, and yes Barry Bonds. Stories abound too about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, including the 1962 playoffs and the infamous Juan Marichal- John Roseboro incident.
This book is a fast and enjoyable read, one any Giants fan will love.
Giants book done right.......2004-06-22 Ever since Bonds hit 73, the shelves have been littered with hastily-written garbage taking advantage of the Bonds phenomenon. This isn't one of them. An engaging, lively read, the author brings you right into the dugout. Wonderful!
A RICH HISTORY.......2004-05-12 The Giants have given their fans many thrills, and this book describes some of the most nostalgic of their days.
STEVEN TRAVERS
Author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman".
Book Description
This offering in the continuing "Where Have You Gone?" series focuses on the lost heroes and fan favorites from San Francisco Giants baseball history.
Customer Reviews:
Catching up with some obscure stars.......2005-07-21 I got Giants: Where Have You Gone? as a gift and really, really enjoyed it. Growing up as a Giants fan in the late 1970s/early 1980s, my era was that of (among others) Jack Clark, Willie McCovey, Johnnie LeMaster, Will Clark, John Montefusco, Jim Barr, Greg Minton, Joel Youngblood, Matt Williams, Dave Dravecky, Mark Davis, and Kevin Mitchell. Not exactly the team's glory years, so you can imagine how excited I was to catch up with all those guys in the book's pages. It was fascinating reading, reminiscing about their careers and then learning about what happened in their lives after they left the Giants.
I love how the book doesn't just focus on the stars and Hall-of-Famers (though I read the entries on Mays, Cepeda, Marichal, and Perry with great attention), but visits the guys with the short careers or bench players with equal interest. Also, the relatively short chapters make the book absolutely perfect for bathroom reading!
Kudos to Matt Johanson and Wylie Wong for a terrific book.
GOOD READING.......2005-04-17 This is an excellent book that will re-kindle interest in the Giants' tradition. This is a team with a colorful history, and this book describes it beautifully.
STEVEN TRAVERS, author of
"Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman"
"The Turning of the Tide"
USCSTEVE1@aol.com
This book rocks!.......2005-03-22 The authors did a great job tracking down the former Giants with the most interesting stories. The stories are human, real and well reported. In particular, the Jack Clark chapter is a riot and a must-read for every Dodger-hating Giants fan. Every Giants fan's library should boast a copy.
A must-have for all baseball fans.......2005-03-16 I just got this book and couldn't put it down from page 1. If I were teaching Baseball History 101, "Giants: Where Have You Gone" would be required reading.
Average customer rating:
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San Francisco Giants
James R Rothaus
Manufacturer: Creative Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0886821509 |
Book Description
The Giant-Dodger rivalry was considered the best in baseball by 1890 and remains the game's oldest and most storied rivalry today. It's remarkable how often both teams have been good, how rarely they've both been bad, and how tenaciously the underdog has battled in between. Through 12 decades (and in two sets of cities 3,000 miles apart) Giant and Dodger partisans have rooted so passionately against each other that, just as during the Civil War, conflicting loyalties have divided neighbors and even families.
This is the definitive account of the rivalry, from its roots in amateur contests between New York and Brooklyn teams in the 1840s to its present incarnation in California's world class cities. All the greats are here: Ward, Ebbets, McGraw, Mathewson, Terry, Durocher, Reese, Robinson, Mays, Koufax, Drysdale, Marichal, Lasorda, Bonds. The book also examines the cities that have hosted the rivalry and devotes a special section to the move to California. The author argues compellingly that, contrary to popular wisdom, the rivalry's best years came after the move.
Customer Reviews:
True Blues Dodger fan who absolutely hates the Giants.......2005-12-13 As you can see from my title scentance, I'm obviously from Los Angeles. I hate the Giants with all my heart. first game I ever saw was a LA/SF game, which was won by the Dodgers. Last game I saw last season was won by the blue crew. and anyone from SF that says that that the Giants are better, look at the total # of wins by the Dodgers over the Giants and you'll see who is better. This has to be the best rivalry in Baseball. You can say the whole NY/Boston thing is the biggest but that series is always so damn lopsided. Even after the 2004 World Series, it's still lopsided in rfavor of the Yanks. This rivalry is being won by the Dodgers, but it's not as lopsided as the NY/Sox rivalry. From their days in New York to their days in Cali, the best rivalry in Baseball is the Dodger/Giants rivalry. This book should tell you all about how these teams hate each other. If you're barely becoming a baseball fan, read the book and then find out which team you wanna root for. I think you'll make the right decision.(Los Angeles Dodgers will win the World Series soon)
The BEST Rivalry in Baseball.......2004-10-31 A fantastic look at the long and storied history of the NY/SF and Brooklyn/LA rivalry. As a true baseball fan, I loved this book. The details of incidents and games over the years is surprisingly good. It is a long read but not boring at all. It kept my interest throughout. Another chapter could be added after this year's fantastic finish in LA with Finley winning the division for the Dodgers with a grand slam. Just another great moment in the history of this tremendous rivalry.
SPORTS GREATEST RIVALRY?.......2004-05-12 This may be the greatest rivalry in sports. The Yankee-Red Sox rivalry is as one-sided as the British and the IRA. The Dodgers and Giants, however, are like the North vs. the South in the Civil War.
STEVEN TRAVERS
Author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman"
An Encyclopedic Look at a Long-Time Rivalry.......2004-01-29 I doubt if very many Dodgers or Giants fans know the full history of the rivalry. Although I have followed the Dodgers since 1956 when they won the World Series, over a third of this book was new to me. I felt I added to my enjoyment of the Dodgers by seeing them in the perspective of the Giants.
To me, baseball has always been about beating the Yankees so although the Giants have always been tough on the Dodgers (except for rare periods), I didn't really notice the rivalry . . . except on October 3rd when for so many years the Giants had the ultimate hex on the Dodgers. Reading this book made me want to read a book that just focused on the Yankees and the Dodgers. One of the highlights of my career as a baseball fan was watching the Dodgers win to clinch the World Series in Yankee Stadium in 1981.
I found the book to be a little too encyclopedic to be totally satisfying to me. I really didn't want to know all of those little facts about the early days. More time could have been spent on the personalities of the key owners, players, coaches and umpires, and the book would have been improved.
Also, I didn't really want to know as much about the Giants as I wanted to know about the Dodgers . . . so I think this book will be more attractive to Giants fans than to Dodgers fans. My impression is that the Giants have been written about much less than the Dodgers have.
But if you just want to have one book about the Giants and the Dodgers, this is surely the one to own. I don't know of any book that comes near it on this subject.
As I finished the book, I realized that we are fortunate to have talented rivals and dedicated fans. Both play a role in helping bring out the best in us. Both Dodgers and Giants fans have been blessed in this way.
Baseball fans of all teams should read this!.......2003-10-07 A friend of mine gave me this book, thinking that any baseball fan would like it. Well, I have read enough baseball books that I didn't enjoy...you know how that goes. This book not only provides an in-depth understanding of this historic rivalry, but shows how rivalries develop and how important they are to our passion for this great game. Golblatt weaves history in contemporary terms showing how the game developed with our country, how baseball became so ingrained in our culture, and why we feel so passionate about "our" teams. Baseball fans and fanciers of American history will enjoy the stories that alone seem inocuous, but when strung together, show us both the forest and the trees. And for Giants and Dodgers fans, this is a compelling read that gives perspective on this historic rivalry. Thank you, Mr. Goldblatt, for allowing me to regain those strong feelings about a game that seems to be nothing more than a game so often lately.
Customer Reviews:
a wonderful keepsake for all Giants fans.......2003-09-06 Thanks to some ridiculous pitching moves(removing Ortiz in game 6. bringing in Worrell to face three guys who had annihilated him in the past...also game 6, not starting Reuter in game 7, sticking with Livan after it was clear he couldn't function within the established strikezone in game 7...the relievers only allowed one hit after his removal) the Giants ended the 2002 season without a world championship. We, as fans, did however get closer than we've been to seeing our team take it all since Willie McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson, ending game 7, thirty years earlier. We also get this wonderful look at the '02 seasons from the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle. The book is filled with rich photography, excellent columns and pivitol boxscores from the almost magical season.
After the sting of defeat had time to wear off a bit, I was thrilled to find this book. We can now relive the triumph and heartbreak of such an interesting cast of characters that includes Barry Bonds, Benito Santiago, Kenny Lofton and, yes, Darren Baker hitching a wild ride from J.T. Snow. The photography makes the book worth it's price right out of the gate. If you are a Giants fan you need this book. Everyone gets his just reward in this book. It is not a Barry Bonds extravaganza that happens to have a few other Giants thrown in. They are all here, from Nen to Dunston, Shjinjo to Kent...they're all here. 96 pages packed with exciting photos and stellar(in most cases) reporting from the staff of the Chronicle. The time line is a bit out of whack in sections of the book. That is the only real flaw with the packaging.
We have a better shot this year with Alou, a wire to wire division championship, a great possibility of NL home-field advantage, but nothing short of a title can surpass the thrill of these '02 Wild Card upstarts.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to Barry on the passing of Booby Bonds. He was a GREAT player and coach. The loss to the city of San Francisco and the entire Giants organization has been felt by fans like me across the nation.
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Tales from the San Francisco Giants Dugout
The Original San Francisco Giants : The Giants of '58
San Francisco Giants: Where Have You Gone?
Unforgettable!: The Giant's Spectacular 2002 Pennant-Winning Season
The Dodger Encyclopedia
