Seals Stadium
The temporary major league home that launched the San Francisco Giants.
Seals Stadium was a Minor League Baseball stadium in San Francisco, California, United States; it later became the first home of the major-league San Francisco Giants. Opened in the Mission District in 1931, Seals Stadium was the longtime home of the San Francisco Seals (1931–1957) of the Pacific Coast League. The PCL's Mission Reds (1931–1938) shared the ballpark with the Seals for the first seven years, then moved to Los Angeles and became the Hollywood Stars. In 1958, Seals Stadium became a temporary home for the Giants for their first two seasons in San Francisco while Candlestick Park was under construction. Less than three decades old, Seals Stadium was demolished in late 1959 after construction on Candlestick Park was finished.
Quick Facts
- Giants tenure
- 1958–1959
Lore & Background
Seals Stadium opened on April 7, 1931, after a construction cost of $1.25 million. It was of concrete and steel construction and was named after its key tenant, the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals. It was uniquely designed to host another San Francisco Pacific Coast League team, the Mission Reds. The ballpark land had been part of pioneer land plots of the 'Home Plate Mine', which became an early nickname of the ballpark.
Built during the Great Depression, Seals President 'Doc' Strub described how laborers would leap onto the running boards of his automobile and beg for the opportunity to work on the project for $3 a day. With two tenants, Seals Stadium was uniquely constructed with three dressing rooms. One dressing room was for the visiting team, and one for each of the minor league home teams. The stadium had six tower banks for lighting, which were described as the best in minor league baseball at the time.
Opening with a capacity of 18,600, Seals Stadium had no roof over the grandstands, because of San Francisco's little rainfall during the summertime and the fans' preference to sit in the sun. The original uncovered grandstand stretched from foul pole to foul pole. In some years during its minor league days, a live seal was kept in a water tank underneath the grandstand. The field was oriented southeast (home plate to second base), with the right field bleachers bounded by 16th Street.
The initial dimensions of the outfield were planned to be 364 ft along the left field foul line, 450 ft to center field, and 385 ft to the right field foul line. The eventual posted distance to left field was 365 ft. For the 1946 season, bleachers were built across the right field area, with the plan to reduce the foul line distance by 'about 25 feet'. The final distance turned out to be posted as 348 ft.
An inner fence was also constructed across center field, reducing the distance to about 400 ft. For the 1951 season, bleachers were built in front of the left field wall, reducing the foul line distance to 347 ft. This was done at the behest of the Seals' president, Paul Fagan, and the area was dubbed 'Paul's Porch'. That experiment lasted just the one season, and it was removed in the spring of 1952.
Reader's Guide
The San Francisco Seals began play in 1903 as a charter team in the Pacific Coast League. They played at the wooden Recreation Park, located at Valencia and 14th Street, before Seals Stadium was built for them. In 1926, the Pacific Coast League Mission Reds (named after the Mission District) relocated from Los Angeles where they had been called the Vernon Tigers. They joined the Seals at Recreation Park.
On March 13, 1931, Seals Stadium officially opened with a spring training game between the Seals and the Detroit Tigers. At the regular season home opener on April 7, 1931, Ty Cobb threw out the first pitch, with 25,000 fans in attendance. The Missions opened their home season at Seals Stadium a week later, April 14 - hosting the Seals. Notably, Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio grew up in San Francisco and played for the Seals from October 1932 through 1935.
In 1933, DiMaggio hit safely in a record 61 straight games for the Seals, with 169 RBI and a batting average of .340. Another future major league player Gus Suhr had an incredible season for the Seals in 1929, hitting .381 with 51 home runs and 177 RBI. Other notable Seals players included Hall of Famers Earl Averill, Paul Waner, Lloyd Waner, Joe Cronin and Lefty Gomez, as well as Dominic DiMaggio, Vince DiMaggio, Albie Pearson and Ferris Fain. Seals Stadium hosted other events.
On February 22, 1933, boxer Young Corbett III defeated Jackie Fields at the stadium, earning the title of World Welterweight Champion. Corbett later won the Middleweight Championship at Seals, beating Fred Apostoli on February 22, 1938. While the Seals remained, the Mission Reds left Seals Stadium and moved to Los Angeles in 1938, where they became the Hollywood Stars, playing at Gilmore Field. The Missions wrapped up their time at Seals Stadium with a doubleheader win over San Diego on September 19, 1937.
After World War II concluded, Seals owner Paul Fagan invested in a stadium makeover. Fagan had all billboards removed and had the entire stadium painted green. Nearby the stadium was the Rainier (later Hamm's) Brewery. The roof of the brewery contained a sign depicting an enormous foaming glass of beer that was lit up at night and was visible from inside the park. Also nearby was the Langendorf Bakery, which sent the smell of baking bread into the ballpark.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Seals Stadium?
Seals Stadium was a baseball park in San Francisco originally built for the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals. It served as the temporary home for the National League Giants during their first two seasons in California, from 1958 to 1959.
Why did the Giants play at Seals Stadium?
The franchise moved there immediately after relocating from New York City because their permanent new ballpark, Candlestick Park, was still under construction. It provided an essential venue for the team while crews finished building the larger stadium nearby.
How long did the Giants occupy Seals Stadium?
The San Francisco Giants played at Seals Stadium for only two seasons, spanning 1958 and 1959. Once Candlestick Park opened in late 1960, the team permanently moved to their new facility.
What happened to Seals Stadium after the Giants left?
After serving its purpose as a temporary home, the ballpark was eventually demolished. It no longer exists today, having been replaced by modern development in the San Francisco area.
More in Oracle Park & Fan Culture
Elsewhere in San Francisco Giants
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced