Memories of the Game

San Francisco Seals and Seals Stadium - Historical Highlights

Details: Parent Category: Medley; Category: Memories of the Game

Click here to see the 1962 Old Timers Day Souvenir Program

1909 San Francisco Seals

History of Baseball in California and Pacific Coast League 1847-1938

April 8, 1958: The Giants' lineup included Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Hank Sauer and Jim Davenport. Rookie outfielder Felipe Alou was also on the team. - (Art Frisch / The Chronicle) / SF

April 8, 1931: Seals Stadium opens.

Once again in San Francisco , hyperbole rules the day.

Seals Stadium article 1931

July 11, 1935: Lefty O'Doul (center) with Joe Marty and Joe DiMaggio.

"How do you get a bridge and a bar named after you? Hit .349 in 15 years, manage your hometown team to three titles. It doesn't hurt to have an awesome name like "Lefty O'Doul." - Chronicle

Why are these players excited?

The mighty Seals, with Lefty O'Doul (center) and Joe DiMaggio (lower right) had just won the Pacific Coast League.

San Francisco Seals
Area: San Francisco
Year: 1938

Description: San Francisco Seals training camp at Hanford in Fresno County. (March 10, 1938)

Back row (left to right): Ditto, Mudge, Mandish, Wilke, Moreing, Balesteri, Paul, Medeghini, Samborsky, Steele, Petnak, Powell, Mann, Wright, Rhyne

Middle row (left to right): Walter Mails, Gibson, Koupal, Holder, Woodall, Jennings, Storey, Jelincich, Botehlo, Kiley, Pfeifer, Harris, Morris, Flood, Raimondi, Evart, Sprinz, Norbert

Middle row (sitting, left to right): Guay, Rudolph, Petrocchi, Stutz, Lillard, Cole, Shores, Frank O'Doul (mgr), Bob Johnson (trainer), Boss, Rego, Frazier, Miller, Hawkins, Harold Hauser (mascot)

Sitting (left to right): Thiebaut, Wilbur, Mills, Clifford and William Wilson

Lefty O' Doul hanging out on the home dugout of Seals Stadium with adoring fans.

1945

April 18, 1945: Seals Stadium boasted the first female ushers. They had a tanning lamp inside the stadium. "Since our girls represent California ," the head Usherette told the Chronicle, "they must look healthy and sunkist at all times."

April 15, 1945: Note the Ranier Brewery in the background, which would become Hamm 's in the 1950s. Seals Stadium was across the street from three breweries. - Chronicle

1947

1948

February 10

February 24

August 7

1949 San Francisco Seals

Seals Stadium cost $1.25 million to build. When it opened in 1931, Ty Cobb threw out the first pitch and the Seals beat the Portland Beavers 8-0. - (Chronicle file) / SF

1949

1950

March 17, 1950: By popular demand here's the late Con Dempsey, a fearsome side-winding pitcher who led the PCL in strikeouts in 1948 and 1949.

He was also a popular P.E., math and science teacher at Giannini Middle School in San Francisco . (Chronicle file) / SF

April 16, 1950: The ballpark provided plenty of headlines for local newspapers. The biggest controversy came in 1950, when the team banned peanut sales. The outcry was so swift and overwhelming, owners changed back the next day. - (Bill Young / The Chronicle) / SF

April 5, 1954: Every child in the city simultaneously asks DiMaggio for an autograph, during his return to Seal Stadium after 9 championships with the Yankees. - (Ken McLaughlin / The Chronicle)

June 23, 1955

Oct. 31, 1957: The Seals moved to Arizona , and the Giants spent two years at the stadium while Candlestick Park was completed. Willie Mays is not in an electrical storm -- the negative was found damaged. - (Joseph J. Rosenthal / The Chronicle) / SF