New York Giants - The Depression Years (1930-1939)

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1930

Decade

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Titles:

Top Giants Players of the Thirties

World Champs (1933 beat Washington)

NL Champs (1936 lost to Yankees; 1937 lost to Yankees)

Pitchers:

Carl Hubbell (56.47) - 147

BallPark:

Hal Schumacher (16.43) - 81

Polo Grounds

Freddie FitzSimmons (11.09) - 67

Harry Gumbert (3.4) - 37

Team Name:

Cliff Melton (8.49) - 34

Giants

Bill Walker (7.58) - 30

Roy Parmalee (3.38) - 22

Owner:

Slick Castleman (0.43) - 16

Charles A Stoneham (1930-1936)

Bill Lohrman (2.96) - 15

Horace Stoneham (1936-1939)

Al Smith (1.88) - 14

General Manager:

Catchers:

None

Blackie Mancuso (8.84) - 33

Harry Danning (8.88) - 27

Managers:

Shanty Hogan (6.99) - 26

John McGraw (1930-1932)

Paul Richards (0.69) - 0

Bill Terry (1932-1939)

First Basemen:

No Hitters:

Bill Terry (36.32) - 68

Zeke Bonura (3.87) - 10

None

Sam Leslie (4.65) - 7

Hall of Famers:

Second Basemen:

John McGraw

Hughie Critz (3.22) - 10

Carl Hubbell

Burgess Whitehead (6.64) - 8

Bill Terry

Travis Jackson

ShortStop:

Dave Bancroft

Dick Bartell (19.79) - 48

Fred Lindstrom

Travis Jackson (16.35) - 35

Mel Ott

Billy Jurges (4.05) - 7

MVP

Third Base:

Carl Hubbell (1933)

Freddie Lindstrom (8.22) - 21

Carl Hubbell (1936)

Johnny Vergez (6.1) - 14

Notable Events:

Outfield:

Mel Ott (68.67) - 123

1930 - The Giants head into the Thirties on the heels of a five year

Jo Jo Moore (15.12) - 54

pennant drought. They were competitive, averaging eighty six wins, but

Hank Lieber (7.63) - 31

manager John McGraw was clearly slipping a bit, albeit from an

Jimmy Ripple (4.73) - 15

extremely lofty perch. Age and a failure to fully adjust to the live ball era

Lefty O'Doul (3.57) - 6

were a couple of factors. Also, he wasn't able to fleece the weaker

clubs in the league for talent anymore - they had already been fleeced.

Notable Events:

That being said, there was still a nice nucleus coming into the Thirties:

First baseman Bill Terry, 31, Hall of Famer

1933 - After an eight year drought, New York wins the pennant, improving

Shortstop Travis Jackson, 26, Hall of Famer

twenty games in the standings in the process. This begins a mini dynasty

Third Baseman Freddie Lindstrom, 24, Hall of Famer

of five consecutive 90 plus win seasons including 3 pennants and one

Outfielder Mell Ott, 21, Hall of Famer

World Title (1933). It was the pitching that made the big difference.

Outfielder Jo Jo Moore, 21, rookie up from San Antonio in 1930

Carl Hubbell takes it to the next level and becomes, with Lefty Grove, one

Lefthander Carl Hubbell, 27, Hall of Famer

of the two top pitchers in the game. Hal Schumacher, emerges as a big

Righthander Freddie FitzSimmons, 28,rotation mainstay in the Thirties

winner. He is only 22. Freddie Fitzsimmons continues to be a stud.

On offense, HOF Mel Ott, 23, will do the heavy lifting moving forward.

1930 - The Giants, as a team, bat .319 in 1930 (a record)

Bill Terry bats .401 in 1930, the last National League .400 hitter

1934 - The first all star game is played at the Polo Grounds. Carl

Hubbell makes it even better for Giant fans by striking out Ruth,

1931 - Ace righthander Hal Schumacher is brought up from

Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons and Cronin in the first two innings of the game.

Bridgeport as a twenty year old rookie.

1935 - Shortstop Dick Bartell, 27, is obtained from the Phillies for cash

1932 - John McGraw retires as manager. Bill Terry takes over.

and four warm bodies. Travis Jackson was moved to third base and

You can make a good case for McGraw being the greatest manager

incumbent third baseman Johnny Vergez was dumped.

ever. That being said, new manager Bill Terry rejuvenated the club

after taking over, altho' it didn't look like it would be that way initially as

1935 - Righhander Harry Gumbert, 25, is obtained from Baltimore. He had

New York has their worst season since 1915.

been knocking around the Yankees and A's systems since he was twenty

1933 - Catcher Blackie Mancuso, 28, is obtained from the Cards in a

1936 - Owner Charles Stoneham dies. A day of mourning for Giants fans.

six player deal.

While Charles' picture is next to the definition of "shady businessman"

in the dictionary, the Giants were very successful under his tenure.

1933 - Outfielder Hank Lieber, 22, is brought up from Buffalo

He won the Giants in a poker game in 1919, owned a number of gambling

operations and a race track. He also owned some shady brokerage

1933 - Harry Danning, a twenty one year old catcher, is brought up from Buffalo

houses. The hypocrisy of baseball to be suspending players like

Shoeless Joe Jackson for, at best, tenuous ties to a betting scandal

1933 - Carl Hubbell pitches 46 1/3 consecutive shutout innings in

while allowing rogue owners like Stoneham to run around freely was

leading the Giants to the pennant. The rest of the rotation, Hal

there for all to see. Anyway, now that his son Horace was taking over the

Schumacher, Fred Fitzsimmons and Roy Parmalee also contribute

franchise, it would be all down hill for the Giants.

heavily to the title push

1936-1937.- Carl Hubbell wins 24 straight over a two year period

The Giants win the pennant both years only to lose to the Yankees

both times in the World Series. That brings their all time World Series

record down to 4 wins, eight losses.

1937 - Righthander Cliff Melton, 25, is obtained from Baltimore. He had

been toiling in the Yankees system since he was nineteen. He wins 20.