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Home Team: The Turbulent History of the San Francisco Giants
In 1957 Horace Stoneham took his Giants of New York baseball team and headed west, starting a gold rush with bats and balls rather than pans and mines. But San Francisco already had a team, the Seals of the Pacific Coast League, and West Coast fans had to learn to embrace the newcomers.
Starting with the franchise’s earliest days and following the team up to recent World Series glory, Home Team chronicles the story of the Giants and their often topsy-turvy relationship with the city of San Francisco. Robert F. Garratt shines light on those who worked behind the scenes in the story of West Coast the politicians, businessmen, and owners who were instrumental in the club’s history.
Home Team presents Stoneham, often left in the shadow of Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, as a true baseball pioneer in his willingness to sign black and Latino players and his recruitment of the first Japanese player in the Major Leagues, making the Giants one of the most integrated teams in baseball in the early 1960s. Garratt also records the turbulent times, poor results, declining attendance, two near-moves away from California, and the role of post-Stoneham owners Bob Lurie and Peter Magowan in the Giants’ eventual reemergence as a baseball powerhouse. Garratt’s superb history of this great ball club makes the Giants’ story one of the most compelling of all Major League franchises.
Starting with the franchise’s earliest days and following the team up to recent World Series glory, Home Team chronicles the story of the Giants and their often topsy-turvy relationship with the city of San Francisco. Robert F. Garratt shines light on those who worked behind the scenes in the story of West Coast the politicians, businessmen, and owners who were instrumental in the club’s history.
Home Team presents Stoneham, often left in the shadow of Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, as a true baseball pioneer in his willingness to sign black and Latino players and his recruitment of the first Japanese player in the Major Leagues, making the Giants one of the most integrated teams in baseball in the early 1960s. Garratt also records the turbulent times, poor results, declining attendance, two near-moves away from California, and the role of post-Stoneham owners Bob Lurie and Peter Magowan in the Giants’ eventual reemergence as a baseball powerhouse. Garratt’s superb history of this great ball club makes the Giants’ story one of the most compelling of all Major League franchises.
- GenresBaseballSportsNonfiction
264 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 22, 2017
Anecdote-filled and well-researched history of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Starting with the move to the West Coast, Robert F. Garratt documents ownership and venue changes, business deals, community impact, various owner-manager-player relationships, and the factors impacting the ups-and-downs of the team.
The book is structured around changes in the team’s ownership from Horace Stoneham to Bob Lurie to Peter Magowan. It shows what forces brought about the changes in venues, from the Polo Grounds in New York to Seal Stadium to the building of Candlestick Park, to the eventual move to the current AT&T Park (formerly PacBell), and the corresponding impact on the success of the team on the field. While it contains anecdotes from the various players interviewed for the book, it is primarily focused on behind-the-scenes struggles and business dealings.
I found the backstories of the team’s “close calls” involving moves to Toronto, and later to Tampa Bay, particularly interesting, providing details that may not be known to the casual fan. In addition, the account of the building of Candlestick Park was fascinating. Having watched the Giants play night games in Candlestick, I could relate to the descriptions of the bitter cold, swirling winds, and dearth of fans in attendance.
Garratt includes all the major milestones of the Giants, along with the gradual transformation into a well-loved, integral part of the City by the Bay. For me, the only downside is that it stopped a bit short of the full history once the team settled into AT&T Park, and would have liked to hear more about winning three World Championships between 2010 and 2014. Recommended to readers who are interested in the business side of baseball, baseball history, or San Francisco Giants’ fans.
The book is structured around changes in the team’s ownership from Horace Stoneham to Bob Lurie to Peter Magowan. It shows what forces brought about the changes in venues, from the Polo Grounds in New York to Seal Stadium to the building of Candlestick Park, to the eventual move to the current AT&T Park (formerly PacBell), and the corresponding impact on the success of the team on the field. While it contains anecdotes from the various players interviewed for the book, it is primarily focused on behind-the-scenes struggles and business dealings.
I found the backstories of the team’s “close calls” involving moves to Toronto, and later to Tampa Bay, particularly interesting, providing details that may not be known to the casual fan. In addition, the account of the building of Candlestick Park was fascinating. Having watched the Giants play night games in Candlestick, I could relate to the descriptions of the bitter cold, swirling winds, and dearth of fans in attendance.
Garratt includes all the major milestones of the Giants, along with the gradual transformation into a well-loved, integral part of the City by the Bay. For me, the only downside is that it stopped a bit short of the full history once the team settled into AT&T Park, and would have liked to hear more about winning three World Championships between 2010 and 2014. Recommended to readers who are interested in the business side of baseball, baseball history, or San Francisco Giants’ fans.
May 25, 2023
A more accurate title would be "Home Team: The Turbulent History of the San Francisco Giants' Ownership." There's not much information here about the team itself; most of the ink is dedicated to financial drama and the club's long fight for a new stadium (once it became clear that Candlestick was a sub-par venue). Still, those topics are quite interesting in their own right. I'd recommend this one to any fans interested in the business side of America's pastime.
March 22, 2018
Admittedly, I realized I didn't know much about the San Francisco Giants history between the early 1960's and Barry Bonds, other than that there was an earthquake. So this book, a quick read both in terms of pace and its brevity (under 200 pages!), was quite the education -- though it might be better subtitled, "The Turbulent History of the San Francisco Giants' Ballpark," in that it was very focused on Candlestick Park and the team figuring out what to do with it once it became apparent it was a "terrible place to play baseball." The Giants nearly left San Francisco twice during the Candlestick era, both times when the team was put up for sale only to be saved in the eleventh hour by a local purchaser. And despite brief flashes of promise, the team seemed seldom profitable before the opening of the currently named AT&T Park--which honestly surprised me, having grown up hearing about the Giants and their rich history in New York and San Francisco. On the other hand, the book seems to imply a "happily ever after" type of ending after the new park's opening--and then the fans were happy, and shortly afterward they won a World Series. There's still plenty of story to tell in the 17 years since, and the book's mistitling makes its compression into basically an epilogue slightly questionable.
What does work--and is probably most refreshing and interesting about the book-- the lack of play-by-play; seldom do you pick up a volume about a team history that focuses mostly on the front office economics and very little on the scoreboard. Barry Bonds's home run record, the 1971 division title, and the 2002 pennant each get barely a sentence, and the World Championships of the 2010's are implied, but hardly mentioned -- no room for the same hackneyed language to describe hitting a homerun or turning two for this professor emeritus of Irish Literature. What's more, the author's access was jaw-dropping, as he managed to hit every important living source in San Francisco Giants history, citing conversations with Bob Lurie and Peter Magowan, Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, and Gaylord Perry; almost every living Giants manager; a good portion of the Giants broadcasting team; and other major businessmen and Giants officials. An impressive list for an otherwise cohesive volume. 4****
What does work--and is probably most refreshing and interesting about the book-- the lack of play-by-play; seldom do you pick up a volume about a team history that focuses mostly on the front office economics and very little on the scoreboard. Barry Bonds's home run record, the 1971 division title, and the 2002 pennant each get barely a sentence, and the World Championships of the 2010's are implied, but hardly mentioned -- no room for the same hackneyed language to describe hitting a homerun or turning two for this professor emeritus of Irish Literature. What's more, the author's access was jaw-dropping, as he managed to hit every important living source in San Francisco Giants history, citing conversations with Bob Lurie and Peter Magowan, Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, and Gaylord Perry; almost every living Giants manager; a good portion of the Giants broadcasting team; and other major businessmen and Giants officials. An impressive list for an otherwise cohesive volume. 4****
March 3, 2023
I loved it especially all the historical behind the scenes business side stuff that gave a lot of context to stuff I knew only very surface level detail of because a combination of some of it before I was born, some of it I was a kid, some of it the way that stuff was reported in the past and some my current understanding of business and finance that allows me to now put it all in context. That part was amazing.
Anyone looking for a lot of detailed baseball action, especially of the bonds to pac bell park era will probably be disappointed as 90% of the book is the NY to SF move and saving the team from moving to Tampa time frame. Didnt bother me since all of that is still fresh in my head from living through it as an adult. I enjoyed all the insight leading up to that
Anyone looking for a lot of detailed baseball action, especially of the bonds to pac bell park era will probably be disappointed as 90% of the book is the NY to SF move and saving the team from moving to Tampa time frame. Didnt bother me since all of that is still fresh in my head from living through it as an adult. I enjoyed all the insight leading up to that
June 17, 2017
Very good, and enjoyable, look at the San Francisco Giants franchise. It follows them from their move out west through their move out of Candlestick and into their new waterfront downtown park. It's very well researched and told, and a good read for all baseball fans about a storied franchise that doesn't get the attention it deserves. I learned a lot about the move from New York, the issues with the new ballpark, and how the franchise was at the forefront of integrating Latin American and Asian players into the league.
November 3, 2017
Depends on what you're expecting... this is no warm fuzzy love affair with baseball, nor is it an ode to the mystical great players of some bygone era.
It's an amazingly well researched and detailed account of the business side, and the accompanying backstories and timelines, of the last sixty years of the Giants organization. If a straightforward, no-nonsense report is what you're looking for, this is a tremendous effort at putting all the facts together on a decades-long struggle for stability.
It's an amazingly well researched and detailed account of the business side, and the accompanying backstories and timelines, of the last sixty years of the Giants organization. If a straightforward, no-nonsense report is what you're looking for, this is a tremendous effort at putting all the facts together on a decades-long struggle for stability.
June 6, 2019
This book is overfilled with details but I enjoyed reading it because I am a Giants fan. I never had time for sports until I retired but I have followed the Giants for more than ten years, attending games at home, in Arizona and Denver and going to Spring Training six or seven times. The early years of the Giants move to the west coast were most interesting, especially the story about how they ended up at the most uncomfortable and forbidding sports venue I have ever seen. This book filled in the gaps for me. Faithful fans will enjoy this book.
May 11, 2021
A great book. I knew a lot of what went on in the battle for a better ball park. I remember pictures of hot dog wrappers, cups and hats pinned against the fences by the wind. I saw a few games at Candlestick and it was not a nice ball park. When i visited AT&T as it was called when I did, what a great place.
A couple of myths busted about the move, with the Dodgers in 1958 the Giants came West. Most stories I heard had O'Malley leading the way. Stoneham was the pusher because of his seeing the end of the Giants days in the Polo Grounds.
A well written book, short but an easy read.
A couple of myths busted about the move, with the Dodgers in 1958 the Giants came West. Most stories I heard had O'Malley leading the way. Stoneham was the pusher because of his seeing the end of the Giants days in the Polo Grounds.
A well written book, short but an easy read.
June 30, 2018
Several years ago I read the story of the Dodgers move west. This book completes the duet. I was just in the beginnings of becoming a baseball fan about the time these two teams made their way to new homes. First the Dodgers while living in southern California as San Diego was still playing Pacific Coast ball. In time the family moved to central California in 1965 and adopting the Giants. Memories abound in this book.
September 24, 2018
This is a very well written history of the San Francisco Giants, probably only of interest to Giants fans, San Francisco history buffs, or to those who love all Bay Area Sports. It's very much driven by the people, so the story stays interesting and doesn't feel heavy with dates and facts.
March 3, 2023
Outstanding overview of the history of the Giants franchise. I learned a ton reading this - coming of age in the late 90s, I had no idea how close the club came to ending up in Toronto in the 70s and Tampa in the 90s. This Cards fan is excited to visit Oracle Park this year!
November 4, 2025
A short history of the Giants ballpark and efforts among different attempts to move. Discussed the roles of the owners, politics and city to keep the team from moving.
Some things I didn't remember or know.
Some things I didn't remember or know.
April 1, 2017
When Horace Stoneham moved the New York Giants from Manhattan to San Francisco, the team’s fortunes and culture took as dramatic a change as its address did. The story of the team on the West Coast is captured in this interesting book by Robert Garratt.
From the first time that Stoneham had the idea to move the ball club from the outdated Polo Grounds in Manhattan to the team’s success during the current decade on and off the field in AT&T Park, Garratt weaves facts and beliefs that are not quite facts into an entertaining read about the team that has often had a love-hate relationship with the fans and the city.
There are some stories that may not be as well known to a casual fan or to readers with a passing knowledge of baseball history. One of those is that the construction of Candlestick Park, while not as fraught with controversy as the construction of Dodger Stadium, had its own share of shenanigans. For example, the construction was overseen by contractor Charles Harney, who owned the land on Candlestick Point where the ballpark was built. He demanded that all plans from the architects and all construction vehicles on the site bore the name “Harney Stadium”, believing the park would be named for him. When a fan vote gave the stadium the name “Candlestick Park” Harney ordered a work slowdown which delayed the opening of the ballpark for one year.
The years of ownership by Stoneham, which came very close to ending with the club moving to Toronto, and then later Bob Lurie, which came very close to ending with the club moving to Tampa Bay, make up the bulk of the book. They cover a wide range of topics - the results on the field, the struggles of the front office to come up with sufficient revenue, and the atrocious conditions of watching baseball at Candlestick Park.
However, once Peter Magowan became the principal owner in early 1993 and signed Barry Bonds to what was at the time the richest contract in baseball history, the team’s fortunes changed off the field as well as on it. After suffering four defeats in five years for referendums on a new ball park under Lurie, Magowan spearheaded a successful referendum to build what is now AT&T Park. While the latter was built with private funds as opposed to using public funds in the other votes, it still represented the change in attitude of the city and public officials toward the value of the team to the city, a belief that is captured in the writing of the political process.
Once the team moved to the new park in 2000, there is little written about the team’s history there and that was the only disappointment with the book for me. It would have been interesting to read about this author’s take on the recent run of World Series titles, the only three the team has won during its tenure in San Francisco, especially comparing the team’s riches from these to the struggles of the franchise during the 1970’s.
Overall, this is a very entertaining and informative book. It is recommended for readers who are either fans of the Giants or are interested in the history of the team.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
From the first time that Stoneham had the idea to move the ball club from the outdated Polo Grounds in Manhattan to the team’s success during the current decade on and off the field in AT&T Park, Garratt weaves facts and beliefs that are not quite facts into an entertaining read about the team that has often had a love-hate relationship with the fans and the city.
There are some stories that may not be as well known to a casual fan or to readers with a passing knowledge of baseball history. One of those is that the construction of Candlestick Park, while not as fraught with controversy as the construction of Dodger Stadium, had its own share of shenanigans. For example, the construction was overseen by contractor Charles Harney, who owned the land on Candlestick Point where the ballpark was built. He demanded that all plans from the architects and all construction vehicles on the site bore the name “Harney Stadium”, believing the park would be named for him. When a fan vote gave the stadium the name “Candlestick Park” Harney ordered a work slowdown which delayed the opening of the ballpark for one year.
The years of ownership by Stoneham, which came very close to ending with the club moving to Toronto, and then later Bob Lurie, which came very close to ending with the club moving to Tampa Bay, make up the bulk of the book. They cover a wide range of topics - the results on the field, the struggles of the front office to come up with sufficient revenue, and the atrocious conditions of watching baseball at Candlestick Park.
However, once Peter Magowan became the principal owner in early 1993 and signed Barry Bonds to what was at the time the richest contract in baseball history, the team’s fortunes changed off the field as well as on it. After suffering four defeats in five years for referendums on a new ball park under Lurie, Magowan spearheaded a successful referendum to build what is now AT&T Park. While the latter was built with private funds as opposed to using public funds in the other votes, it still represented the change in attitude of the city and public officials toward the value of the team to the city, a belief that is captured in the writing of the political process.
Once the team moved to the new park in 2000, there is little written about the team’s history there and that was the only disappointment with the book for me. It would have been interesting to read about this author’s take on the recent run of World Series titles, the only three the team has won during its tenure in San Francisco, especially comparing the team’s riches from these to the struggles of the franchise during the 1970’s.
Overall, this is a very entertaining and informative book. It is recommended for readers who are either fans of the Giants or are interested in the history of the team.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
October 12, 2017
Extremely well researched and well-written. This is a must read for any Giants fan-especially those who think Giants life began in 2000 at ATT Park. There were some dark, dark days which Bob excellently conveys.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews