Baseball

Object/Artifact

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Shanaman Sports Museum

Name/Title

Baseball

Entry/Object ID

2005.47.1

Description

Signed Tacoma Giants baseball. The Tacoma Giants had a strong fanbase during their time in Pierce County. The franchise began in 1959 when it was moved from Phoenix, Arizona, and played in the Pacific Coast League from 1960-65. The team was affiliated with the San Francisco Giants and went on to win the PCL Championship in 1961. The move also brought with it the building of Cheney Stadium by local lumber dealer and philanthropist Ben Cheney. The city’s prior club, the Tacoma Tigers of the Western International League, left town after the 1951 season so the baseball-obsessed fans were thrilled with the return of baseball to Tacoma. San Francisco had a strong farm system and the Tacoma teams reaped the benefit and produced eventual MLB Hall of Famers Juan Marichal (1960), Willie McCovey (1960), Gaylord Perry (1961) as well as All-Stars Matty Alou, Eddie Fisher and Manny Mota. Despite their success, San Francisco moved the Giants back to Phoenix at the end of the 1965 season.

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Search Terms

Baseball, Professional/Semi-Pro

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

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Tacoma Giants

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Pierce County

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Phoenix, Arizona

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Pacific Coast League

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San Francisco Giants

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PCL Championship

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Cheney Stadium

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Cheney, Ben

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Tacoma Tigers

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Western International League

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San Francisco

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MLB Hall of Fame

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Marichal, Juan

Person or Organization

McCovey, Willie

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Perry, Gaylord

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MLB All-Stars

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Alou, Matty

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Fisher, Eddie

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Mota, Manny

Person or Organization

McDaniels, Dan