What Is 1920 New York Giants season

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1920 New York Giants season was the franchise's 38th in Major League Baseball, finishing with a 86–68 record and placing third in the National League under manager John McGraw.

Key Facts

The 1920 New York Giants finished with an 86–68 record, 10 games behind the first-place Brooklyn Robins.
They played their home games at the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan, drawing a total attendance of 488,545.
Manager John McGraw led the team for the 21st consecutive season, continuing his long tenure with the franchise.
The Giants' batting average for the season was .298, led by George Kelly’s 15 home runs and 81 RBIs.
Pitcher Ferdie Schupp won 18 games, the most on the team, with a 2.48 ERA over 251 innings pitched.

Overview

The 1920 New York Giants season marked a solid but unspectacular year for the National League club. Competing in their 38th season of Major League Baseball, the Giants finished in third place with an 86–68 record, 10 games behind the first-place Brooklyn Robins. The team played under legendary manager John McGraw, who continued to shape the franchise with a mix of veteran leadership and emerging talent.

Despite missing the World Series, the 1920 campaign showcased consistent performance across both pitching and offense. The Giants drew strong attendance at the Polo Grounds, reflecting their popularity in New York City during the early years of professional baseball. This season also preceded the rise of Babe Ruth and the Yankees' dominance, keeping the Giants a central figure in the city’s sports scene.

Record: The Giants finished the 1920 season with a winning record of 86 wins and 68 losses, placing them third in the National League standings.
Manager:John McGraw managed the team for the 21st consecutive season, maintaining his reputation as one of baseball’s most influential figures.
Home Field: All home games were played at the Polo Grounds, located in Upper Manhattan, which had a seating capacity of over 30,000 at the time.
Attendance: The Giants attracted a total of 488,545 fans during the season, one of the higher totals in the league despite no postseason berth.
League Standing: They finished 10 games behind the Brooklyn Robins, who led the National League with a 93–61 record.

Performance and Key Players

The 1920 Giants relied on a balanced roster featuring standout performances from both pitchers and position players. While they lacked a dominant superstar, team cohesion and McGraw’s strategic management kept them competitive throughout the season.

Batting Average: The team hit .298 as a unit, ranking among the top offenses in the National League despite the dead-ball era’s low scoring trends.
George Kelly: First baseman George Kelly led the team with 15 home runs and 81 RBIs, emerging as a key offensive force.
Ferdie Schupp: Pitcher Ferdie Schupp posted a league-respectable 18 wins and a 2.48 ERA over 251 innings pitched.
Irish Meusel: Outfielder Irish Meusel contributed 7 home runs and 76 RBIs while maintaining a .301 batting average.
Team ERA: The pitching staff recorded a collective 2.80 ERA, benefiting from strong fielding and strategic game management.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1920 New York Giants compared to other top National League teams:

Team	Record (W-L)	Win %	Games Behind	Manager
Brooklyn Robins	93–61	.604	—	Wilbert Robinson
Cincinnati Reds	82–71	.536	13.5	Pat Moran
New York Giants	86–68	.558	10.0	John McGraw
St. Louis Cardinals	75–78	.490	18.5	Branch Rickey
Chicago Cubs	75–78	.490	18.5	Johnny Evers

The table highlights that while the Giants had a better record than most of their NL peers, they fell short of the dominant Robins. Their 86 wins were second-best in the league, but inconsistency in close games and a weaker finish prevented a pennant run. Still, their strong offensive numbers and solid pitching placed them among the league’s elite teams of the era.

Why It Matters

The 1920 season was a transitional year that helped set the stage for future Giants success in the 1920s. It reflected the team’s resilience under long-term leadership and their ability to remain competitive without a championship.

McGraw’s Legacy: The season reinforced John McGraw’s influence as a managerial icon, shaping modern baseball strategy and team discipline.
Pre-Yankees Era: At a time when the Yankees were rising, the Giants remained New York’s premier baseball team in terms of reputation and fan base.
Player Development: The emergence of George Kelly signaled a shift toward building around young, homegrown talent.
Attendance Trends: Drawing nearly half a million fans demonstrated the growing commercial appeal of baseball.
Historical Context: This season occurred just before the 1921 World Series, where the Giants would face the Yankees, marking a pivotal moment in baseball history.
Dead-Ball Transition: Though home runs were rare, the Giants’ 15 from Kelly hinted at the sport’s evolving offensive style.

The 1920 New York Giants season may not have ended in a title, but it contributed to the foundation of a franchise that would dominate the National League in the coming decade.