Robert F. Garratt

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.
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