Hastings Giants
| Hastings Giants | |
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| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes | Class D (1956–1959) |
Previous leagues |
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| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
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| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | 1912 |
| Team data | |
Previous names |
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Previous parks | Duncan Field (1956–1958) |
The Hastings Giants were a minor league baseball team, based in Hastings, Nebraska. Hastings played in the short-season Class D Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Earlier Hastings teams had played in the Nebraska State League (1922–1923, 1910–1915, 1892), Tri-State League (1924) and the Western League (1887).
Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees Fred Clarke (1892) and Dazzy Vance (1914) played for Hastings.
The Hastings Giants were an affiliate of the New York Giants (1956–1957) / San Francisco Giants (1958–1959).
History
Minor league baseball began with the Hastings Hustlers in the 1887 Western League. Hastings was a member of the Nebraska State League from 1910–1915 and 1922–1923, playing as the Reds, Cubs, Third Citys and Brickmakers. The Hastings Cubs joined the Tri-State League in 1924.[1]
The Hastings Third Citys won the 1912 Nebraska State League Championship, finishing 1st in the regular season at 67–44. The Kearney Buffaloes playoff win over Hastings was later reversed at the Nebraska State League 1913 spring meeting and Hastings was awarded the championship.[2]
The Hastings Giants were an affiliate of the New York Giants/San Francisco Giants (1956-1959). The Giants played their home games at Duncan Field.[3][4]
The Nebraska State League folded after the 1959 season, along with the 1959 league member Hastings Giants, Holdrege White Sox, Grand Island Athletics, Kearney Yankees, McCook Braves and North Platte Indians.[5]
The ballpark
The Hastings Giants played at Duncan Field. Constructed in 1940 as a federal W.P.A. Project, the ballpark was considered one of the best in the Nebraska State League. Duncan Field is still in use today, having hosted multiple American Legion World Series. Duncan Field is located at 601 East South Street in Hastings, Nebraska.[4][6]
Notable alumni
Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Dazzy Vance pitched for the Hastings Reds in 1914 with a 17–4 record. Hall of Famer Fred Clarke began his professional career with Hastings in 1892, hitting .302 with 14 stolen bases in 41 games.[7] [8]
Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
- Fred Clarke (1892) Inducted, 1945
- Dazzy Vance (1914) Inducted, 1955
Notable alumni
- Jesus Alou (1959)
- Bob Barton (1959)
- Harry Cheek (1923)
- Jake Gettman (1914)
- Bill Hands (1959)
- Lou Koupal (1923)
- Bill Piercy (1914)
- Leo Schrall (MGR, 1957–1959)
- Jose Tartabull (1958)
- Gene Thompson (MGR, 1956)
- Jose Vidal (1958)
- Johnny Weekly (1956)
Year-by-year record
(from Hastings Giants - BR Bullpen)
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 15–48 | 8th | Gene Thompson | none |
| 1957 | 29–26 | 5th | Leo Schrall | none |
| 1958 | 24–39 | 7th | Leo Schrall | none |
| 1959 | 23–39 | 65h | Leo Schrall | none |
References
- ^ "Hastings, Nebraska Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hc11964/y-1912
- ^ "Hastings Giants - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ a b "Hastings Giants 1956-1959". nebaseballhistory.com.
- ^ "Nebraska State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "Duncan Field". VisitNebraska.com.
- ^ "Dazzy Vance Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6f6673ea
- Defunct minor league baseball teams
- Professional baseball teams in Nebraska
- Defunct baseball teams in the United States
- San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates
- 1956 establishments in the United States
- 1959 disestablishments in the United States
- Hastings, Nebraska
- Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska
- Baseball teams established in 1956
- Baseball teams disestablished in 1959
- Defunct Tri-State League teams
- New York Giants minor league affiliates