San Francisco Seals

From BR Bullpen

Location: San Francisco, CA
League: Pacific Coast League 1903-1957
Affiliation: New York Giants 1936; Brooklyn Dodgers 1942; New York Yankees 1951; Boston Red Sox 1956-1957
Ballpark: Recreation Park 1903-1913, 1915-1930; Ewing Field 1914; Seals Stadium 1931-1957

The San Francisco Seals were a longtime member of the Pacific Coast League. The Seals are perhaps best known for giving Joe DiMaggio (1932-1935) and his brother Dom (1937-1939) their start in the 1930's. After having won PCL MVP as a Seal in 1927, Lefty O'Doul managed the club from 1935 to 1951, winning pennants in 1935, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946. The Seals also won pennants in 1909, 1915, 1917, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1931, and 1957. In addition to the DiMaggios, Harry Heilmann (1915), Paul Waner (1923-1925), Earl Averill (1926-1928), Frankie Crosetti (1928-1931), and Ferris Fain (1939-1942, 1946) went on to successful major league careers from the Seals.

Longtime Seal pitchers include Win Ballou (1930-1944 player/coach last few years) who was 154-131, Ed Stutz (1932-1942, 1946) who was 124-124, and Al Lien (1942-1948) was 126-118. Bob Joyce (1941-1948) was 119-86 winning 20 four times including 31 in 1945 and Larry Jansen (1941-1946) was the PCL's last 30 game winner in 1936. Sam Gibson (1931, 1934-1944) who was 210-123 led the PCL in W, ERA, and SO in 1931 and in ERA 1939, while Cack Henley (1905-1913) as 183-137 and led the PCL in W in 1910.

Hal Rhyne (1922-1925, 1928, 1934-1938) played SS, Joe Sprinz (1928, 1938-1946) and Sam Agnew (1920-1927) were catchers, and Gus Suhr (1925-1929, 1943-1944) played 1B. Kid Mohler (1905-1912) was a left handed throwing 2B who led the PCL in R in 1910. 1B Babe Ellison (1921-1927) led the league in RBI in 1922, and H and RBI in 1924. OF Smead Jolley (1925-1929) led the PCL in RBI and AVG in 1927, H in 1929, and won the Triple Crown in 1928. OF Brooks Holder (1935-1942) led in H in 1936 and 3B in 1939, while OF Ted Norbert (1935-1940) led in HR and RBI in 1938.

When the Giants moved to San Francisco for the 1958 season, the Seals ceased operation.

Four Seals clubs are considered among the greatest minor league teams of all time:

[edit] Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
1903	107-110	4th	Charlie Irwin	none
1904	101-117	5th	Henry Harris	none
1905	125-100	2nd	Parke Wilson	none
1906	91-84	4th	Parke Wilson	none
1907	104-99	2nd	Daniel Long	none
1908	100-104	3rd	Daniel Long	none
1909	132-80	1st	Daniel Long	none League Champs
1910	114-106	3rd	Daniel Long	none
1911	95-112	5th	Daniel Long	none
1912	89-115	5th	Daniel Long	none
1913	104-103	4th	Daniel Long	none
1914	115-96	3rd	Daniel Long	none
1915	118-89	1st	Harry Wolverton	none League Champs
1916	104-102	4th	Harry Wolverton	none
1917	119-93	1st	Harry Wolverton / Jerry Downs	none League Champs
1918	51-51	3rd	Charlie Graham / Jerry Downs	League Suspended operations July 14
1919	84-94	6th	Charlie Graham	none
1920	103-96	4th	Charlie Graham	none
1921	106-82	3rd	Charlie Graham	none
1922	127-72	1st	Dots Miller	none League Champs
1923	124-77	1st	Dots Miller / Herbert Ellison	none League Champs
1924	108-93	3rd	Herbert Ellison	none
1925	128-71	1st	Herbert Ellison	none League Champs
1926	84-116	8th	Herbert Ellison / Nick Williams	none
1927	106-90	2nd	Nick Williams	none
1928	120-71	1st	Nick Williams	none League Champs
1929	114-87	2nd	Nick Williams	none
1930	101-98	4th	Nick Williams	none
1931	107-80	1st	Nick Williams	League Champs
1932	96-90	4th	James Caveney	none
1933	81-106	6th	James Caveney	none
1934	93-95	4th	James Caveney
1935	103-70	1st	Lefty O'Doul	League Champs
1936	83-93	7th	Lefty O'Doul
1937	98-80	2nd	Lefty O'Doul	Lost in 1st round
1938	93-85	4th	Lefty O'Doul	Lost League Finals
1939	97-78	2nd	Lefty O'Doul	Lost in 1st round
1940	81-97	7th	Lefty O'Doul
1941	81-95	5th (t)	Lefty O'Doul
1942	88-90	5th	Lefty O'Doul
1943	89-66	2nd	Lefty O'Doul	League Champs
1944	86-83	3rd	Lefty O'Doul	League Champs
1945	96-87	4th	Lefty O'Doul	League Champs
1946	115-68	1st	Lefty O'Doul	League Champs
1947	105-82	2nd	Lefty O'Doul	Lost in 1st round
1948	112-76	2nd	Lefty O'Doul	Lost in 1st round
1949	84-103	7th	Lefty O'Doul
1950	100-100	5th	Lefty O'Doul
1951	74-93	8th	Lefty O'Doul
1952	78-102	7th	Tommy Heath
1953	88-92	5th	Tommy Heath
1954	84-84	4th	Tommy Heath	Lost League Finals
1955	80-92	6th	Tommy Heath	none
1956	77-88	6th	Eddie Joost (44-59) / Joe Gordon (33-29)	none
1957	101-67	1st	Joe Gordon	none League Champs