1971 San Francisco Giants season

The 1971 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 89th year in Major League Baseball, their 14th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 12th at Candlestick Park. The team finished in first place in the National League West with a 90–72 record. The Giants faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS, losing three games to one. The Giants were the only team to win the NL West in the 1970s other than the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Offseason December 30, 1970: Ron Hunt was traded by the Giants to the Montreal Expos for Dave McDonald.Ron Hunt at Baseball-Reference

Regular season

The Giants battled their arch rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, throughout the season for the NL West Division lead. The Giants led by 8.5 games on September 1. In mid September the Dodgers won 8 in a row, including 5 over the Giants to narrow the gap to one game. On the final day of the season, rookie Dave Kingman homered, leading the Giants to a win over the San Diego Padres to take the division crown, allowing Juan Marichal, Willie Mays, and Willie McCovey to play in the post season for the last time together. September 5, 1971: In a game against the Giants, J. R. Richard of the Houston Astros struck out 15 batters in his very first game, tying a Major League record first set by Karl Spooner.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions May 29, 1971: George Foster was traded by the Giants to the Cincinnati Reds for Frank Duffy and Vern Geishert.George Foster at Baseball-Reference June 1, 1971: Bob Heise was traded by the Giants to the Milwaukee Brewers for Floyd Wicker.Floyd Wicker at Baseball-Reference June 8, 1971: 1971 Major League Baseball draft Frank Riccelli was drafted by the Giants in the 1st round (18th pick).Frank Riccelli at Baseball-Reference Willie Prall was drafted by the Giants in the 3rd round.Willie Prall at Baseball-Reference

Game log and schedule Legend Giants win Giants loss PostponementBoldGiants team member

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 1 || April 6 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 2 || April 7 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 3 || April 8 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 4 || April 10 || @ Cardinals || || || || || Busch Memorial Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 11 || @ Cardinals || || || || || Busch Memorial Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 11 || @ Cardinals || || || || || Busch Memorial Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 7 || April 12 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 8 || April 14 || Astros || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 9 || April 15 || Astros || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 10 || April 16 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 11 || April 17 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 12 || April 18 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 13 || April 18 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 14 || April 19 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 15 || April 20 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 16 || April 21 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 17 || April 23 || @ Pirates || || || || || Three Rivers Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 18 || April 24 || @ Pirates || || || || || Three Rivers Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 19 || April 25 || @ Pirates || || || || || Three Rivers Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 20 || April 27 || @ Braves || || || || || Atlanta Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 21 || April 28 || @ Braves || || || || || Atlanta Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 22 || April 29 || @ Braves || || || || || Atlanta Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 23 || April 30 || @ Reds || || || || || Riverfront Stadium || || ||

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 24 || May 1 || @ Reds || || || || || Riverfront Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 25 || May 2 || @ Reds || || || || || Riverfront Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 26 || May 4 || Pirates || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 27 || May 5 || Pirates || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 28 || May 7 || Braves || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 29 || May 7 || Braves || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 9 || Braves || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 31 || May 9 || Braves || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 32 || May 10 || Reds || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 11 || Reds || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 12 || Reds || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 35 || May 14 || Dodgers || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 36 || May 15 || Dodgers || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 16 || Dodgers || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 38 || May 18 || @ Cubs || || || || || Wrigley Field || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 39 || May 19 || @ Cubs || || || || || Wrigley Field || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 40 || May 20 || @ Cubs || || || || || Wrigley Field || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 41 || May 21 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 42 || May 22 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 43 || May 23 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 44 || May 25 || @ Dodgers || || || || || Dodger Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 45 || May 26 || @ Dodgers || || || || || Dodger Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 46 || May 27 || @ Dodgers || || || || || Dodger Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 47 || May 28 || Expos || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 48 || May 29 || Expos || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 49 || May 30 || Expos || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 50 || May 30 || Expos || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 51 || May 31 || Mets || || || || || Candlestick Park || || ||

|- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 52 || June 1 || Mets || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 53 || June 2 || Mets || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 54 || June 4 || Phillies || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 55 || June 5 || Phillies || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 56 || June 6 || Phillies || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 57 || June 6 || Phillies || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 58 || June 8 || @ Expos || || || || || Jarry Park Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 59 || June 9 || @ Expos || || || || || Jarry Park Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 60 || June 10 || @ Expos || || || || || Jarry Park Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 61 || June 11 || @ Mets || || || || || Shea Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 62 || June 12 || @ Mets || || || || || Shea Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 63 || June 13 || @ Mets || || || || || Shea Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 64 || June 14 || @ Phillies || || || || || Veterans Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 65 || June 15 || @ Phillies || || || || || Veterans Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 66 || June 16 || @ Phillies || || || || || Veterans Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 67 || June 18 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 68 || June 18 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 69 || June 19 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 70 || June 20 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 71 || June 20 || Padres || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 72 || June 22 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 73 || June 23 || Cubs || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 74 || June 25 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 75 || June 26 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 76 || June 27 || @ Astros || || || || || Astrodome || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 77 || June 28 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 78 || June 29 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 79 || June 30 || @ Padres || || || || || San Diego Stadium || || ||

|- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 80 || July 1 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 81 || July 2 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 82 || July 3 || Cardinals || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 83 || July 4 || Dodgers || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 84 || July 5 || Dodgers || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 85 || July 6 || Astros || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fbb;" | 86 || July 7 || Astros || || || || || Candlestick Park || || || |- style="text-align:center; background:#bfb;" | 87 || July 8 || Astros || || || || || Candlestick Park || || ||