Viva Los Gigantes!

Today marks one of those rare moments when being an avid sports fan actually results in joy.  I have been a San Francisco Giants fan for my entire life.  I was raised on Giants baseball from before I can remember.  A few facts:

• The Giants have won more games than any other professional sports franchise (10,000+).
• My first favorite player was Will "The Thrill" Clark. Other all-time favorites include Matty Williams, Woody Reuter, Andres the Giant, and Dave Dravecky (I think I cried when his arm was amputated after his bout with cancer). 
• The Giants were originally known as the New York Gothams, but their name changed "after one particularly satisfying victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, [the team's manager] stormed into the dressing room and exclaimed, 'My big fellows! My giants!'" (Wikipedia)
• The NFL's New York Giants are named after the baseball team, who subsequently relocated to San Fran.  For a short time, both teams played at the Polo Grounds.
• There are more Giants in the baseball Hall of Fame than any other franchise.

I love that this year's team is a collection of cast-offs and misfits.  Here's hoping for the Giant's first World Series title since moving to San Francisco.  

Hummm baby!! Fear the beard!

**Update: One more fact to add to the list.  The Giants have been to and lost three World Series since moving out West--in '69, '89, and '02.  My dad has attended games in all three Series, including 1962's devastating Game 7 loss on McCovey's liner.  Yes, there is a lot of pent-up baseball angst in my family...