The 1962 S.F. Giants

Robert Fettgather, PhD, joined Mission College in 1979 and continues to teach psychology courses as an associate faculty member. In his spare time, he enjoys sports and the history of baseball.

The 1962 San Francisco Giants were one of the most memorable teams in the history of the franchise. Led by the legendary Willie Mays, the team finished the regular season with a record of 103–62, which was the second-best record in the National League that year. They won a thrilling three-game playoff series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to advance to the World Series, where they faced off against the powerful New York Yankees.

The Giants had a number of future Hall of Famers on their roster in 1962. In addition to Mays, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, the team featured Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry. Marichal was one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, winning 25 games that season and posting a remarkable 2.41 ERA. Cepeda was the team’s cleanup hitter, driving in 142 runs and hitting 35 home runs, while Perry was a young pitcher who would go on to have a Hall of Fame career of his own.

Despite their impressive regular season and star-studded roster, the Giants ultimately fell short in the World Series, losing to the Yankees in seven games. However, their remarkable season and memorable playoff run are still celebrated by Giants fans to this day, and the team’s many Hall of Famers are remembered as some of the greatest players in the history of the franchise and the sport as a whole.