Jersey City Giants
Encyclopedia
The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American
minor league baseball
franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey
, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants
from 1937
through 1950
. The Jersey City club played in the International League
(Class AA 1912-45 and Class AAA since 1946). They were commonly referred to as the Little Giants.
Jersey City hosted numerous minor league teams before and since the Giants, including 1½ seasons (from July 13, 1960
through the end of 1961
) as the home of the relocated Havana Sugar Kings
International League franchise; that club, a Cincinnati Reds
affiliate, was nicknamed the Jersey City Jerseys
and included many Cuba
n players who had taken the field in Havana.
The city's earliest IL team, which played from 1912-33 (except for a four-year hiatus during the Federal League
period and the outbreak of World War I
), was called the Skeeters
. But the Jersey Giants were a notable team because they sent a number of star players (including Sal Maglie
, Whitey Lockman
and Monte Irvin
) across the river to their major-league namesake.
In addition, the baseball color line
was broken in Jersey City's Roosevelt Stadium
when Jackie Robinson
of the Montreal Royals
made his organized baseball debut there as a visitor on April 18, 1946. Robinson made a spectacular playing debut with four hits
in five at-bats
, including a home run
. A decade later, in 1956-57, Roosevelt Stadium would host select Dodger
home games as owner Walter O'Malley
parried with public officials over a new stadium in Brooklyn. The Dodgers (and the MLB Giants) ultimately abandoned New York for California
in 1958
.
Although they won league titles in 1939
and 1947
, the Jersey Giants usually struggled to reach .500. And, like their neighbors, the Newark Bears
, they found it impossible to compete when the three New York MLB teams began mass radio and television broadcasts of their games. Jersey City's attendance plunged from 337,000 in 1947 to 63,000 in 1950. The franchise moved to Ottawa, Ontario, in 1951 and became the Ottawa Giants
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from 1937
1937 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Griffith Stadium: American League, 8-3-Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award**American League: Charlie Gehringer, Detroit Tigers, 2B...
through 1950
1950 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies *All-Star Game, July 11 at Comiskey Park: National League, 4-3 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Carta Vieja *College World Series: Texas...
. The Jersey City club played in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
(Class AA 1912-45 and Class AAA since 1946). They were commonly referred to as the Little Giants.
Jersey City hosted numerous minor league teams before and since the Giants, including 1½ seasons (from July 13, 1960
1960 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Yankees ; Bobby Richardson, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5-3*All-Star Game , July 13 at Yankee Stadium: National League, 6-0...
through the end of 1961
1961 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds ; Whitey Ford, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Candlestick Park: National League, 5-4 *All-Star Game , July 31 at Fenway Park: 1–1 tie...
) as the home of the relocated Havana Sugar Kings
Havana Sugar Kings
The Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
International League franchise; that club, a Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
affiliate, was nicknamed the Jersey City Jerseys
Jersey City Jerseys
The Jersey City Jerseys was a minor league baseball team based in Jersey City, New Jersey that played in the International League for two seasons, 1960 and 1961. It was the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team's home stadium was Roosevelt Stadium. The team began life in Havana, Cuba and...
and included many Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n players who had taken the field in Havana.
The city's earliest IL team, which played from 1912-33 (except for a four-year hiatus during the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
period and the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
), was called the Skeeters
Jersey City Skeeters
The Jersey City Skeeters were a minor league baseball team which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey. The club started in the 1860s and by 1870 joined the National Association of Base Ball Players....
. But the Jersey Giants were a notable team because they sent a number of star players (including Sal Maglie
Sal Maglie
Salvatore Anthony Maglie was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1945-1958 for the New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals. Maglie was known as "Sal the Barber", because he gave close shaves—that is, pitched inside to...
, Whitey Lockman
Whitey Lockman
Carroll Walter "Whitey" Lockman was a player, coach, manager and front office executive in American Major League Baseball.-Role in miraculous 1951 comeback:...
and Monte Irvin
Monte Irvin
Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin is a former left fielder and right-handed batter in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball who played with the Newark Eagles , New York Giants and Chicago Cubs .-Biography:Although born in Haleburg, Alabama, Irvin grew up in Orange, New Jersey, one of five...
) across the river to their major-league namesake.
In addition, the baseball color line
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
was broken in Jersey City's Roosevelt Stadium
Roosevelt Stadium
Roosevelt Stadium was a baseball park at Droyer's Point in Jersey City, New Jersey. It opened in April 1937 and hosted high-minor league baseball, seven major league baseball games, plus championship boxing matches, top-name musical acts, important regional high school football and even soccer...
when Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
of the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
made his organized baseball debut there as a visitor on April 18, 1946. Robinson made a spectacular playing debut with four hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in five at-bats
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, including a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. A decade later, in 1956-57, Roosevelt Stadium would host select Dodger
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
home games as owner Walter O'Malley
Walter O'Malley
Walter Francis O'Malley was an American sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers team in Major League Baseball from to . He served as Brooklyn Dodgers chief legal counsel when Jackie Robinson broke the racial color barrier in...
parried with public officials over a new stadium in Brooklyn. The Dodgers (and the MLB Giants) ultimately abandoned New York for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1958
1958 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Milwaukee Braves ; Bob Turley, MVP*All-Star Game, July 8 at Memorial Stadium: American League, 4-3-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: USC...
.
Although they won league titles in 1939
1939 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*On May 17, 1939, Princeton University and Columbia University played the first televised baseball game. On August 26, the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers played the first televised Major League Baseball game...
and 1947
1947 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers *All-Star Game, July 8 at Wrigley Field: American League, 2-1-Other champions:*First College World Series: California...
, the Jersey Giants usually struggled to reach .500. And, like their neighbors, the Newark Bears
Newark Bears
The Newark Bears are an American professional baseball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 1999 season, the Bears have played their home games at Bears &...
, they found it impossible to compete when the three New York MLB teams began mass radio and television broadcasts of their games. Jersey City's attendance plunged from 337,000 in 1947 to 63,000 in 1950. The franchise moved to Ottawa, Ontario, in 1951 and became the Ottawa Giants
Ottawa Giants
The Ottawa Giants were a professional minor-league baseball team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that operated in 1951. The team was a relocation of an existing franchise, the Jersey City Giants...
.
Notable former players
- Morrie ArnovichMorrie ArnovichMorrie Arnovich, known as Snooker, was a stocky Major League Baseball outfielder. He was a line drive hitter and he played seven seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Giants between , and , and again for one game in .One of the most religious Jewish major...
- Major League Baseball All-Star outfielder - Harry FeldmanHarry FeldmanHarry "Hank" Feldman was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants from 1941 to 1946. In 1962, at age 42, the 6' 0",...
, Major League Baseball pitcher - Goody Rosen – Major League Baseball All-Star outfielder