Today in Giants' History - September 6

1953 - With Giants manager Leo Durocher was yelling "stick it in his ear", Rubén Gómez hits Carl Furillo, the National League's leading hitter, on the wrist by a pitch. After taking first base, the Dodgers right fielder bolts into the opposing dugout to choke 'Leo the Lip', but in the melee, the knuckle on his little finger is fractured putting an end to his season.

2001 - Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants became the fifth player in ML history to hit 60 home runs in a season during a game against Arizona. He joined Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Bonds, who is the oldest to join this elite group, reaches the historic plateau the quickest needing only 141 games to reach the milestone.

Today in Giants' History - September 5

1904 - In Front of 37,000 fans the Giants sweep the Beaneaters, beating Boston 6-1 and 4-3. Christy Mathewson wins the opener, beating Kaiser Wilhelm, and is not scored upon until the 9th when Jim Delahanty and Tom Needham triple. Red Ames wins the nitecap. Following the Giant sweep, excited fans hoist John McGraw up to carry him to the Polo Grounds field house. But McGraw gets dropped during the excitement, sustaining a sprained ankle.

1998: Giants outfielder Barry Bonds sets a new National League mark reaching base in 15 consecutive plate appearances. His five singles, two doubles, two homers and six walks during the streak breaks Dodger Pedro Guerrero's mark of 14 established in 1983. Armando Rios hits home runs for his first two major league hits. Expos' third baseman Shane Andrews accomplished the same feat on April 27 and 28 in 1995.

Born on this day: 1960 - Candy Maldonado, outfielder

Thanks to baseball reference.

1974 Topps Giants -- Part 1

• I really like these team checklists. Topps should have done this more often.
  
  
  The Giants finished 72-90 in 1974 (5th place in NL West, 30 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers)
  
• Team Batting: .254 (8th in NL)
• Team Home Runs: 93 (10th in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.80 (9th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .972 (11th in NL)
• Gold Glove Winners: Bobby Bonds (OF)
• All-Stars: Chris Speier (SS)
• Attendance: 519,987 (12th in NL)
  
  
  

• My favorite team cards are the ones that have the team records and pennant winners on the back. These cards give a sense of the history of the ballclub. Unfortunately, the Giants have only been to one World Series since this card was printed. :(
  
  
  
  

• Charlie Fox managed the Giants from the middle of the 1970 season until the middle of the 1974 season. The Giants won the NL West under Fox in 1971. He was replaced by Wes Westrum after 76 games. The Giants were 34-42 at the time of the change. Westrum finished the season and was 38-48.
  
• On this card Don McMahon is shown as a coach. He must have been a player-coach. He pitched in nine games (11.2 innings with a 3.09 ERA) as a 44-year-old reliever and was the oldest player in the National League in 1974.
  
  

• Dave Rader was the Giants' starting catcher and led the team with a .291 batting average in 113 games.
  
  

• Mike Sadek didn't play for the Giants in 1974. He spent the season in AAA Phoenix, where he batted .251 in 371 games.
  

Others who played catcher for the Giants in 1974 but didn't get a Topps Giants' card:

• Ken Rudolph (.259 in 158 at-bats)
• John Boccabella (.138 in 80 at-bats)

Today in Giants' History -- September 4

Not much going on --- I figured I'd put in a couple of "rivalry bits."

1953 - Despite consecutive home runs by Wes Westrum, Al Corwin, and Whitey Lockman in the 3rd, the Giants lose to the Dodgers 8-6 in a game marred by beanballs and disagreements on calls. Following a Clem Labine brushback on Giants IF Bobby Hofman, Larry Jansen throws at Duke Snider and Roy Campanella in the 8th.

1958 - At the Coliseum, the Giants score eight in the 1st inning off Johnny Podres and Stu Miller then coasts to a 13 - 3 win. The Giants take the season series from the Dodgers, 16 - 6.

Thanks to baseball reference.

Thanks to 1952toppsbaseballcards for the image.

Today in Giants' History -- September 3

1926 - In a 17 - 3 Giants cakewalk over the Braves, the Giants unload for a National League record 12 runs in the 5th inning. Young Mel Ott plays five innings and goes 3-for-3. He also steals a base. The 17-year-old star will hit .383 in 35 games this year. The Giants blow it open in the 5th inning, scoring 12 runs.

1974 - The Giants John Montefusco makes his ML debut, homers in his first official time at bat, off Charlie Hough, and pitches nine innings of relief to earn a 9 - 5 victory over the Dodgers.

1986 - Pitching in the 3rd inning against the Mets, Giants rookie Terry Mulholland snags a hard grounder off Keith Hernandez but can't retrieve the ball from the webbing of his glove. Thinking fast, Mulholland runs towards first and tosses his mitt to 1B Bob Brenly for the out. The Giants come up short, losing 4 - 2.

1995 - The Mets outslug the Giants, 11 - 6, despite Barry Bonds hitting the Giants 11,00th franchise homer. Barry's father hit the 8,000th franchise homer 24 years ago, on September 3, 1971.

Thanks to baseball reference.

Today in Giants' History -- September 2

1912 - At Boston, Christy Mathewson wins both games for the Giants in a 5 - 2, 6 - 1 sweep of the Braves. In the opener, Matty relieves Rube Marquard in the 9th with score 2 - 2 and tosses three shutout innings. Larry Doyle ends it with a 3-run homer in the 12th. Matty coasts to his 19th win in the nitecap after the Giants chase Ed Doheny with five runs in the 3rd.

1925 - After losing Game One by a 6 - 3 score to the Phils, the Giants unload in a nitecap, 24 - 9 shelling. The hits keep coming - 30 to be exact in a record 58 at-bats - at Baker Bowl. Four New Yorkers each collect four hits apiece, while a ML record-tying ten batters each collect two hits each. Doc Farrell (2-for-3) who takes over for Travis Jackson at short in the 6th is the 10th. Ex-Phil Bob Meusel drives home nine runs, while Rookie Fred Fitzsimmons allows 14 hits, including homers by Cy Williams, Johnny Mokan and Hal Carlson in the 8th frame. Phils starter Art Decatur is the loser.

1955 - After sitting out since August 7 with a broken rib, SS Alvin Dark of the Giants falls and breaks his shoulder in a game against the Phillies.

1975 - Johnnie LeMaster homers in his first ML at bat for the Giants during a 7 - 3 win over Dodgers. In 12 years and 3,191 at bats, LeMaster will hit only 22 home runs, but this first hit is a ML record - an inside the park homer. Brian Downing two years ago was the first player to hit his first homer inside the park.

Thanks to baseball reference

Today in Giants' History (September 1)

Thanks to baseball reference.

• 1937 - The Giants sign Bill Terry to a 5-year contract as manager and farm director at $40‚000 a year.

• 1947 Jack Lohrke hits a homer against the Braves‚ number 183 for the season for the Giants‚ breaking the ML record held by the 1936 Yankees. Mel Ott's club had hit 5 HRs in a doubleheader against the Cubs on August 24 to break Chicago's 1929 NL record. The Giants will finish with 221 HRs‚ led by Johnny Mize‚ Walker Cooper‚ Willard Marshall‚ and rookie Bobby Thomson.

• 1951 - OF Don Mueller hits 3 home runs in an 8-1 Giants' win over the Dodgers. His first homer comes against Ralph Branca‚ coming off two consecutive shutouts‚ and Mueller hits his 3rd HR‚ a two-run shot off Phil Haugstad. Sal Maglie is the winner‚ giving up 7 singles and hits Jackie Robinson on the wrist in the 3rd to force home the only Dodger run. Whitey Lockman gets plunked twice for New York. Al Dark and Eddie Stanky combine in the 5th on a triple play off a liner by Pee Wee Reese. The Dodgers' lead over the Giants is now down to 6 games.

• 1958 - In San Francisco‚ the Giants sweep a doubleheader from the Dodgers (and 5 of 6 in the Labor Day series) by taking the first in an A.M.-P.M. doubleheader‚ 8-6. Willie Mays goes 5-for-5 with 2 doubles and a home run to drive in 5 runs. The nitecap is a memorable 4 hour, 35 minute marathon. The Giants tie the game in the 9th on Bob Schmidt's homer‚ and the Dodgers go ahead‚ 5-4‚ in the 16th on Carl Furillo's RBI. Whitey Lockman's home run in the bottom of the 16th ties it‚ then a bunt single by Ray Jablonski is followed by another bunt by P Ruben Gomez. Errors by Johnny Roseboro and Furillo follow allowing Jabo to score the winning run‚ 6-5. Mays is 11-for-20 for the series‚ with 4 homers. San Francisco Police Chief Frank Ahern‚ sitting behind home plate‚ dies of a heart attack at the climax of the 2nd game.