Why Are They Called the New York Giants?

The New York Giants are one of the longest existing franchises in the National Football League. Their heritage and prolific success have been an integral part in the landscape of professional football despite a less-than-profitable beginning.

  1. History

    • Local businessman and bookie Jim Mara purchased the football team for an alleged $500 in 1925. Mara wanted the name to be recognizable, so he simply "borrowed" the Giants from the major-league baseball team of the same name (which later moved to San Francisco).

    Significance

    • At the time of the Giants' inception, professional football trailed in national popularity behind boxing, baseball and college football. Using the same name as major-league baseball team was a common practice, as owners tried to mainstream their teams.

    Famous Ties

    • Some of the more recognizable names in major-league baseball have at some point also shared a likeness with a national football league franchise. Football also had the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers among its rosters.

    Identification

    • To distinguish themselves from their small ball counterpart, the team was and is often still referred to as the New York Football Giants. Such is their legal corporate name, according to Hoover's.

    Fun Fact

    • Mara feared a great financial loss after the great stock market crash in the late 1920s, so he handed off management to his two sons in 1932. The youngest, Wellington, was only 14 at the time and became the youngest owner of a football team.