The Springfield Giants were a minor league baseball team based in Springfield, Ohio. The "Giants" were an affiliate of the New York Giants and played as members of the Class D level Ohio State League from 1944 and 1947, before the league changed names in 1948. The Giants continued play as members of the Class D level OhioâÂÂIndiana League from 1948 to 1951. Hosting minor league home games at Municipal Stadium, the Springfield Giants won the 1944 and 1946 league pennants and made eight playoff appearances, qualifying for the postseason in each season of play.
The 1944 Springfield Giants were immediately preceded in minor league play by the 1942 Springfield Cardinals. In their final season, the Cardinals were managed by Baseball Hall of Fame member Walter Alston, as the team played a final season as members of the Class C level Middle Atlantic League, before the league folded following the 1942 season during World War II.
Springfield, Ohio resumed minor league baseball play in 1944, when the "Giants" became members of the sixâÂÂteam Class D level Ohio State League, which was resumed play during World War II. The Lima Red Birds, Marion Diggers, Middletown Red Sox, Newark Moundsmen, Richmond Roses and Zanesville Dodgers joined Springfield in beginning league play on May 2, 1944.
In 1944, the team vice president was Holmes Collins, the auditor was O.R. Shriver and the director was Frank J. Sturm.
The Springfield Giants were a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants, adopting the team's nickname. In their first season of play, the Giants won the Ohio State League pennant. The Giants ended the Ohio State League season with a record of 76âÂÂ54, placing first in the regular season standings, finishing 4.5 games ahead of the second place Newark Moundsmen, with Earl Wolgamot serving as manager. In the playoffs, Springfield lost in the first round to the Middletown Red Sox, who defeated the Giants four games to two.
The Giants qualified for the 1945 Ohio State League playoffs. With a record of 64âÂÂ75, Springfield placed fourth in the sixâÂÂteam league, playing the season under returning manager Earl Wolgamot and finishing 25.0 games behind the first place Middletown Rockets. In the playoffs, Springfield lost in the first round, as the Middletown Rockets defeated the Giants four games to two. The Giants' Tony Bolick led the Ohio State with 109 RBI.
Springfield won the 1946 Ohio State League pennant, as the league expanded from six teams to eight teams. The Giants finished the regular season with a record of 82âÂÂ57 to place first in the Ohio State League, finishing 3.5 games ahead of the second place Zanesville Dodgers. Don Ramsay served as manager. In the playoffs, Springfield defeated the Newark Moundsmen four games to two and advanced. In the finals, the Giants were defeated by the Zanesville Dodgers four games to two. Wayne Reside, who was acquired from Lima during the season, led the Ohio State League with both 21 home runs and 118 RBI.
Continuing play in the 1947 Ohio State League, Springfield placed fourth and qualified for the playoffs. The Giants ended the 1947 regular season with a record of 73âÂÂ65, ending the season 15.5 games behind the first place Zanesville Dodgers. Don Ramsay returned as manager. In the first round of the playoffs, the Zanesville Dodgers defeated the Giants four games to two.
In 1948, the Ohio State League expanded beyond the state of Ohio and changed names to become the Class D level OhioâÂÂIndiana League. The Muncie Reds joined seven returning Ohio State League teams in beginning league play on May 2, 1948.
The 1948 Springfield Giants continued as a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants, playing in the newly named league. Ending the 1948 OhioâÂÂIndiana League season in fourth place, Springfield qualified for the playoffs of the eightâÂÂteam league. Springfield had a record of 66âÂÂ74, playing the season under managers Robert Roth and Rufus Jackson, finishing 16.5 games behind the first place Zanesville Dodgers in the regular season final standings. In the playoffs, eventual champion Zanesville swept Springfield in four games in their first round series.
In 1949, Springfield was runnerâÂÂup in the OhioâÂÂIndiana League regular season standings. The Giants placed second in the regular season standings, ending the season with a record of 77âÂÂ63, playing the season under manager Tony Ravish. The Giants finished 4.5 games behind the first place Portsmouth A's. The Muncie Reds defeated Springfield four games to one in the first round of the playoffs.
The Springfield Giants again qualified for the Ohio-Indiana League playoffs in 1950. Managed by Andy Gilbert, the Giants ended the 1950 regular season with a record of 72âÂÂ64, placing fourth in the standings and ending the season 17.0 games behind the pennant winning Marion Red Sox. In the playoffs, the Marion Red Sox defeated Springfield three games to one in the first round. Player/manager Andy Gilbert of Springfield won the league batting title, hitting .388.
In its final season of play, the 1951 OhioâÂÂIndiana League compacted to become a fiveâÂÂteam league to begin the season. The Newark Yankees won the firstâÂÂhalf title in a splitâÂÂseason schedule, with the firstâÂÂhalf season schedule ending on June 18, 1951. Newark then folded on July 17, 1951, leaving four remaining teams, Springfield included, completing the second half of the season. With Newark excluded, Springfield finished a distant second in the final regular season standings. At the conclusion of the season, the Giants finished 30.0 games behind the Marion Red Sox in the overall standings with a 53âÂÂ74 record, playing the season under returning manager Andy Gilbert. In a playoff series, the Marion Red Sox swept Springfield four games to none in the final games of the league. The OhioâÂÂIndiana League permanently folded following the completion of the 1951 season.
Springfield, Ohio has not hosted another minor league team. In 2014, the Springfield-based Champion City Kings began play in the amateur Prospect League, a summer collegiate baseball league.
The Springfield Giants teams hosted home minor league home games at Municipal Stadium. The original Municipal Stadium was built in 1939 as a WPA project. It was demolished in 2000, with a new grandstand and refurbished field built at the site. Today, the ballpark is known as Carleton Davidson Stadium and plays host to the Champion City Kings of the Prospect league and the Wittenberg University baseball team. Carleton Davidson Stadium is located at 1101 Mitchell Boulevard.