Our Alumni

[chinese home run]

Surviving members from other defunct teams have been covered; I thought it was time to post a list of surviving New York Giants. As of April 29th, 2008, fifty-four men who made the Polo Grounds their home field at one time or another still survive. Here is a listing in chronological order of their births, along with the years they played for the Giants.


Some members asked for an updated list; as of November 1st, 2010, we are now down to thirty-seven men who played for the Giants at the Polo Grounds.



Monte Irvin- 2/25/1919 (1949-1955)
Charlie Mead- 4/29/1921 (1943-1945)
Les Layton- 11/18/1921 (1948)
Alvin Dark- 1/7/1922 (1950-1956)
Gil Coan- 5/18/1922 (1955)
Hub Andrews- 8/31/1922 (1947-1948)
Red Schoendienst- 2/2/1923 (1956-1957)
Chuck Diering- 2/5/1923 (1952)
Hal Bamberger- 10/29/1924 (1948)
Wayne Terwilliger- 6/27/1925 (1955-1956)
Windy McCall- 7/18/1925 (1954-1957)
Joe Garagiola-2/12/1926 (1954)
Harvey Gentry- 5/27/1926 (1954)
Mario Picone- 7/5/1926 (1947, 1952, 1954)
George Spencer- 7/7/1926 (1950-1955)
Don Mueller- 4/14/1927 (1948-1957)
Jack Harshman- 7/12/1927 (1952)
Billy Gardner- 7/19/1927 (1954-1955)
Stu Miller- 12/26/1927- (1957)
Al Worthington- 2/5/1929 (1953- 1954;1956-1957)
Daryl Spencer- 7/13/1929 (1952-1953; 1956-1957)
Bill Taylor-12/30/1929 (1954-1957)
Joe Margoneri- 1/13/1930 (1956-1957)
Ron Samford- 2/28/1930 (1954)
Johnny Antonelli-4/12/1930 (1954-1957)
Pete Burnside-7/2/1930 (1955, 1957)
Foster Castleman- 1/1/1931 (1954-1957)
Willie Mays- 5/6/1931-(1951-1952; 1954-1957)
Ray Crone- 8/7/1931 (1957)
Gail Harris- 10/15/1931 (1955-1957)
Ed Bressoud- 5/2/1932 (1956-1957)
Ozzie Virgil,Sr.- 5/17/1933 (1956-1957)
Roy Wright- 9/26/1933 (1956)
Joe Amalfitano- 1/23/1934 (1954-1955)
Bill White-1/28/1934 (1956)
Jackie Brandt- 4/28/1934 (1956)
Mike McCormick-9/29/1938 (1956-1957)

[Dodgerfan1]

Good to see Jack Lohrke still on this list! Growing up in Milpitas, CA, I was a good friend of his son, John. When I first met John in 1977, at the age of 17, he asked me what I was interested in. I immediately told him 'baseball' and bragged that I could answer any baseball question he asked me. He said, "Okay, here's one: Did my dad play in the 1951 World Series?" So, naturally, I asked him, "Who is your dad?" His reply was, "Jack Lohrke." I said, "Your dad is Lucky Lohrke??" He replied, "You know my dad's nickname??" Needless to say, we became fast friends.

One of the greatest treats I ever had in my life was the very first time I ever went over to John's house to pick him up for a concert we were going to. He was still in the shower so I spent a few minutes in the living room with his father, Jack. We immediately began talking baseball, and some of the inside stuff he told me about the Giants of the early '50s was fascinating and quite funny. He had a great sense of humor. I almost didn't want to leave when his son was ready to go, I was having such a blast.

Anyway, seeing Lohrke's name on this list just now brought back a flood of great memories. Thanks.

DF1

[machinehead11]

Shouldn't Bob Lennon be on there?

[nygiant]

Most of those players will sign autographs through the mail. The exceptions are Antonelli and Castleman.

[chinese home run]

To machinehead11- no, Bob Lennon passed away in 2005.

[AutographCollector]

Most of those players will sign autographs through the mail. The exceptions are Antonelli and Castleman.

Ummm.... I sent to Antonelli last year c/o his home in NY, and he graciously personalized my 8x10 for me, and wrote a nice note back.

[nygiant]

He must have mellowed then.

[steveatrich]

Pretty amazing 20 or so 1957 players are still with us!

[chinese home run]

Surviving members from other defunct teams have been covered; I thought it was time to post a list of surviving New York Giants. As of August 17th, 2009, 46 men who made the Polo Grounds their home field at one time or another still survive. Here is a listing in chronological order of their births, along with the years they played for the Giants.


Tommy Henrich- 2/26/1910 (Coach 1957)
Lonny Frey- 8/23/1910 (1948)
Monte Irvin- 2/25/1919 (1949-1955)
Buddy Blattner-2/8/1920 (1946-1948)
Larry Jansen- 7/16/1920 (1947-1954; Coach 1954)
Artie Wilson- 10/28/1920 (1951)
Charlie Mead- 4/29/1921 (1943-1945)
Les Layton- 11/18/1921 (1948)
Alvin Dark- 1/7/1922 (1950-1956)
Gil Coan- 5/18/1922 (1955)
Clint Hartung- 8/10/1922 (1947-1952)
Hub Andrews- 8/31/1922 (1947-1948)
Red Schoendienst- 2/2/1923 (1956-1957)
Chuck Diering- 2/5/1923 (1952)
Bobby Thomson- 10/25/1923 (1946-1953; 1957)
Hal Bamberger- 10/29/1924 (1948)
Wayne Terwilliger- 6/27/1925 (1955-1956)
Windy McCall- 7/18/1925 (1954-1957)
Joe Garagiola-2/12/1926 (1954)
Harvey Gentry- 5/27/1926 (1954)
Mario Picone- 7/5/1926 (1947, 1952, 1954)
George Spencer- 7/7/1926 (1950-1955)
Rudy Rufer- 10/28/1926 (1949-1950)
Don Mueller- 4/14/1927 (1948-1957)
Jack Harshman- 7/12/1927 (1952)
Billy Gardner- 7/19/1927 (1954-1955)
Stu Miller- 12/26/1927- (1957)
Valmy Thomas- 10/21/1928 (1957)
Al Worthington- 2/5/1929 (1953- 1954;1956-1957)
Daryl Spencer- 7/13/1929 (1952-1953; 1956-1957)
Bill Taylor-12/30/1929 (1954-1957)
Joe Margoneri- 1/13/1930 (1956-1957)
Ron Samford- 2/28/1930 (1954)
Johnny Antonelli-4/12/1930 (1954-1957)
Pete Burnside-7/2/1930 (1955, 1957)
Foster Castleman- 1/1/1931 (1954-1957)
Willie Mays- 5/6/1931-(1951-1952; 1954-1957)
Ray Crone- 8/7/1931 (1957)
Gail Harris- 10/15/1931 (1955-1957)
Ed Bressoud- 5/2/1932 (1956-1957)
Ozzie Virgil,Sr.- 5/17/1933 (1956-1957)
Roy Wright- 9/26/1933 (1956)
Joe Amalfitano- 1/23/1934 (1954-1955)
Bill White-1/28/1934 (1956)
Jackie Brandt- 4/28/1934 (1956)
Mike McCormick-9/29/1938 (1956-1957)

With the recent passing of Davey Williams, our alumni is now just forty-six former New York Giants. The above list has been updated.

[bbxpert]

Scratch Andy Tomasic off the list. He died 11/27/2008 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

[chinese home run]

Scratch Andy Tomasic off the list. He died 11/27/2008 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Thanks- I wasn't aware of that. Now that leaves fifty-two former New York Giants still with us.

[AutographCollector]

With the passing of Sal Yvars,

When did he pass away?

[metrotheme]

I know that Rudy Rufer is not doing too well, as he is in a nursing home in Long Island and his family says that he has trouble just even speaking. I wrote Artie Wilson last year and got a form letter back saying he was done signing.

[icee82]

I have read that Billy Werber has stopped signing due to arthritis. Also Tommy Henrich stopped signed some time ago due to health reasons.

[chinese home run]

our alumni

Boy, have I been asleep at the switch lately! I posted Happy Birthday wishes to Al Dark and completely forgot about Herman Franks (95 this past January 1st) Foster Castleman (78 the same day) and Joe Margoneri (79 on January 13th)

I guess while I'm on a roll I'd better post early birthday wishes to Joey "Jingles" Amalfitano. Joey turns 75 on the 23rd, and is the youngest surviving member of the 1954 World Champioship team. Franks and Castleman were also part of that team as well.