Horace Stoneham

rdf:langString Horace Stoneham

rdf:langString Horace Stoneham

rdf:langString Horace Stoneham

rdf:langString Owner of the New York / San Francisco Giants

rdf:langString Relocated the Giants from Manhattan to San Francisco

rdf:langString Baseball executive

rdf:langString Horace Charles Stoneham (/ˈstoʊnəm/ STOW-nəm; April 27, 1903 – January 7, 1990) was an American Major League Baseball executive and the owner of the New York / San Francisco Giants from 1936 to 1976. Inheriting the Giants, then one of the most prominent franchises of the National League, from his father Charles in 1936, he oversaw four pennant winners, including one World Series champion, in his first two decades as owner. In 1958 he moved the Giants from New York City to San Francisco, one of two National League owners to bring Major League Baseball to the west coast territory. Although the Giants won only one pennant (1962) and one division title (1971) in their first 15 years after moving to the Bay Area, they were a consistent contender that featured some of the era's biggest stars. But during the mid-1970s, lacklustre on-field performance and dwindling attendance forced Stoneham to sell the team in 1976. Stoneham was born in Newark, New Jersey, and educated at the Hun School of Princeton and the Trinity-Pawling School. During his high school years, in 1919, his father bought the Giants. The younger Stoneham briefly attended Fordham University, but soon dropped out to work in a copper mine in California. At his father's insistence, he came back east to begin his apprenticeship as a baseball executive and future owner. He worked on the Giants' grounds crew and in their ticket office, then moved into their front office. When, at age 32, he succeeded to the team presidency on his father's death in January 1936, Stoneham became the youngest club owner in National League history.