The Hastings Giants was the final nickname of the minor league baseball teams, based in

Hastings, Nebraska Hastings is a city and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 25,152 at the 2020 census. It is known as the town where Kool-Aid was invented by Edwin Perkins in 1927, and celebrates that event with the Ko ...

between 1887 and 1959. The Hastings Giants played in the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Earlier Hastings teams played as members the Western League (1887), Nebraska State League (1892, 1910–1915, 1922–1923) and

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second leagu ...

(1924). Baseball Hall of Fame members Fred Clarke (1892) and

Dazzy Vance Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance (March 4, 1891 – February 16, 1961) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher for five different franchises in Major League Baseball (MLB) in a career that spanned twenty years. Known for ...

(1914) played for Hastings. The Hastings Giants were a minor league affiliate of the New York Giants from 1956 to 1957 and

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

in 1958 and 1959.

History

Minor league baseball began with the Hastings Hustlers of the 1887 Western League. Hastings was a member of the Nebraska State League from 1910 to 1915 and 1922 to 1923, playing as the Reds, Cubs, Third Citys and Brickmakers. The Hastings Cubs joined the

in 1924. The Hastings Third Citys won the 1912 Nebraska State League Championship, finishing 1st in the regular season at 67–44. The Kearney Buffaloes playoff win over Hastings was later reversed at the Nebraska State League 1913 spring meeting and Hastings was awarded the championship. In 1956, it was announced that

major league baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

had plans to sponsor a new Class D League in Nebraska with affiliate teams. Requirements for a franchise in the Nebraska State League included: cities having a lighted ballpark; selling $5,000 in season tickets and providing another $2,500 for incidental expenses, and the ability to provide transportation to away games. Eleven Nebraska cities agreed to these provisions. The eleven names were put into a hat to draw for one of eight franchises. Hastings was one of the cities selected for the new league, along with Superior, Grand Island, Hastings, Lexington, McCook, Holdrege, North Platte and Kearney. The Hastings Giants were an affiliate of the New York Giants/San Francisco Giants, playing from 1956 to 1959. The Giants played their home games at Duncan Field. The Nebraska State League permanently folded following the 1959 season. The 1959 league member Hastings Giants,

Holdrege White Sox The Holdrege White Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Holdrege, Nebraska. The White Sox played as members of the short–season Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959 as an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Holdrege ...

, Grand Island Athletics,

Kearney Yankees The Kearney Yankees were a minor league baseball team that played in the Class D level Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. Hosting home games at Kearney Memorial Field, Kearney was a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. History Ba ...

McCook Braves The McCook Braves were a minor league baseball team based in McCook, Nebraska. From 1956 to 1959, the McCook Braves played as members of the short-season Class D level Nebraska State League as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves for their durati ...

and North Platte Indians all permanently folded as well.

The ballpark

The Hastings Giants played home minor league games at Duncan Field. Constructed in 1940 as a federal W.P.A. Project, the ballpark was considered one of the best in the Nebraska State League. Duncan Field is still in use today, having hosted multiple American Legion World Series. Duncan Field is located at 601 East South Street in Hastings, Nebraska.

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee

pitched for the Hastings Reds in 1914 with a 17–4 record. Hall of Famer Fred Clarke began his professional career with Hastings in 1892, hitting .302 with 14 stolen bases in 41 games.

Notable alumni

* Fred Clarke (1892) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1945 *

(1914) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1955 * Jesus Alou (1959) * Bob Barton (1959) * Harry Cheek (1923) *

Jake Gettman Jake Gettman (October 25, 1875 – October 4, 1956) was a Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total te ...

(1914) *

Bill Hands William Alfred Hands, Jr. (May 6, 1940 – March 9, 2017) was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1965 to 1975. His best season came in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs, when he won 20 games. Early life A n ...

(1959) *

Lou Koupal Louis Laddie Koupal (December 19, 1898 – December 8, 1961) born in Tabor, South Dakota, was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1925–26), Brooklyn Robins (1928–29), Philadelphia Phillies (1929–30) and St. Louis Browns (1937). Koupal ...

(1923) *

Bill Piercy William Benton Piercy (May 2, 1896 – August 28, 1951), born in El Monte, California, was a pitcher for the New York Yankees (1917 and 1921), Boston Red Sox (1922–24) and Chicago Cubs (1926). Piercy helped the Yankees win the 1921 American L ...

(1914) *

Leo Schrall Leo Schrall (April 7, 1907 – February 3, 1999) was an infielder and manager in minor league baseball and a head coach in college baseball. Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania, Schrall attended University of Notre Dame, where he enjoyed a succes ...

(MGR, 1957–1959) * Jose Tartabull (1958) * Gene Thompson (MGR, 1956) * Jose Vidal (1958) * Johnny Weekly (1956)

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Hastings - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Nebraska San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates 1956 establishments in Nebraska 1959 disestablishments in Nebraska Hastings, Nebraska Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska Baseball teams established in 1956 Baseball teams disestablished in 1959 Defunct Tri-State League teams New York Giants minor league affiliates Nebraska State League teams