Tombstone
Born: December 12, 1957 – Affiliation change from Fresno Sun Sox 1UNITED PRESS. “Fresno To Be Giants For 1958”, The Californian (Salinas, CA), December 13, 1957
Re-Branded: 1988 (Fresno Suns)
First Game: April 22, 1958 (W 9-3 @ Visalia Redlegs)
Last Game: September 10, 1987 (W 5-0 vs. Reno Padres)
California League Champions: 1958, 1964, 1968, 1974, 1985 & 1987
Stadium
John Euless Park (2,500)21984 Fresno Giants Program
Ownership & Affiliation
Owners:
- 1957-1982: Greater Fresno Youth Foundation
- 1982-1987: Bob Piccinini
Sale (Sep. 1987): $560,000 (Piccinini to Bill Yuill)3McEwen, Bill. “Accord for sale of Suns”. The Bee (Fresno, CA). September 13, 1988
Major League Affiliation: San Francisco Giants
Background
The Fresno Giants were a farm club of the San Francisco Giants for 30 seasons in the Class A California League. At the time the pairing came to an end in late 1987, the 30-year minor league/Major League relationship between Fresno and the Giants was the longest such partnership in baseball history.
Demise & Aftermath
When the end came for the Giants, it came hard. Fresno won California League crowns in 1985 and 1987 and led the circuit in attendance in 1986. The Giants’ final appearance at John Euless Park came on September 10th, 1987 in the seventh and deciding game of the 1987 California League championship series against the Reno Padres. Fresno southpaw Tim McCoy spun a 3-hit shutout as the Giants won 5-0 and claimed their sixth and final Cal League crown. The John Euless Park crowd of 2,824 that night was Fresno’s largest baseball crowd in 10 years.4Driscoll, Mary Ellen. “McCoy powers Fresno Giants to title”. The Bee (Fresno, CA). September 11, 1987
Within a matter of days, the San Francisco Giants ended their affiliation with Fresno after 30 seasons and owner Bob Piccinini sold the club for $560,000, a record price for a California League franchise at the time.5Conlin, Bill. “West Sac might try for baseball again next year.” The Bee (Sacramento CA). November 15, 1987
Shortly after the sale, the city of Fresno condemned John Euless Park. The team changed hands again just a few months later. When the 1988 season began, Fresno had a dreadful unaffiliated club called the Fresno Suns playing in a temporary makeshift stadium. The Suns lasted only one season.
After the Suns debacle, there was no professional baseball in Fresno for a decade. That changed in 1998 when the Class AAA Tucson Toros moved to town and became the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. The Grizzlies moved into the brand new $46 million Grizzlies Stadium (now Chukchansi Park) in 2002 and remain in the city to this day.
Fresno Giants Shop
Links
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