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The history of the New York Giants from 1925 to 1978 covers the American football franchise from the team's inception until the conclusion of their tumultuous 1978 season. Currently members of the NFL's National Football Conference, the Giants were founded in 1925 by original owner Tim Mara in the then five-year-old NFL. Mara gave control of the team over to his two sons—Wellington and Jack—early in their lives. During this period in their history the Giants acquired four NFL championships, but also suffered some down times, including consecutive non-playoff seasons from 1964 to 1978. In just its third season, the team finished with the best record in the league at 11–1–1 and was awarded the NFL title. In a 14-year span from 1933 to 1946, New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times, winning twice. They did not win another league title until 1956, aided by a number of future Pro Football Hall of Fame players such as running back Frank Gifford, linebacker Sam Huff, and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown. The Giants 1956 Championship team not only comprised players who would eventually find their way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but it also had a Hall of Fame coaching staff. Head coach Jim Lee Howell's staff had Vince Lombardi coaching the offense and Tom Landry coaching the defense. From 1958 to 1963, New York played in the NFL championship game five out of those six years, but failed to win. The 1958 NFL Championship game, in which they lost 23–17 in overtime to the Baltimore Colts, is credited with increasing the popularity of the NFL in the United States. From 1964 to 1978, the Giants registered just two winning seasons and were unable to advance to the playoffs. During this period the team also traded away quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who would later lead the Minnesota Vikings to three Super Bowls and end up in the Hall of Fame. This period was characterized by the front office's bad decisions in the college draft, several ill-advised trades, and the team's fans' growing disappointment. It was not until the 1980s that the Giants would develop a consistent playoff team. ==Birth and success: 1925-1930== In 1925, the NFL was in need of a franchise in a large city market that could be used to showcase the league. To achieve this, NFL President, Joseph Carr traveled to New York City to offer boxing promoter Billy Gibson, a franchise. Gibson was chosen by Carr since he had owned the league's last New York franchise, the New York Brickley Giants, in 1921. However, Gibson refused the offer for a new franchise, but he did refer Carr to a friend of his, Tim Mara. Mara, a bookmaker (then a legal profession), businessman, and promoter, with an investment of US$500, then established the modern-day New York Giants franchise. Other than the name, there is no relation between the Brickley Giants and the modern New York Giants franchise.〔Walsh. pg. 100〕〔Schwartz. pg. 67〕 Mara decided to invest the $500 in the Giants as opposed to heavyweight boxer Gene Tunney in a spur-of-the-moment decision,〔Burke, Monte. (Turning $500 Into A $573 Million NFL Team ), forbes.com, August 29, 2003, accessed June 1, 2007.〕〔Gottehrer. pgs. 25–6〕 and started the team with the statement, "an exclusive franchise for anything in New York is worth $500."〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 112〕 Mara owned the team until his death in 1959, when it was passed on to his sons Wellington and Jack Mara. Legally named "New York Football Giants" to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name, the Giants played their first game against All New Britain in New Britain, Connecticut, on October 4, 1925.〔(New York First Game & First Home Game Program ), hapmoran.org, accessed February 14, 2011.〕〔(New York Pro Eleven Takes Opening Game ), ''The New York Times'', October 5, 1925, accessed March 16, 2007〕 They defeated New Britain 26–0 in front of a crowd of 10,000.〔 Mara soon realized that his purchase of the team did not yield a home field nor any players, coaches, or equipment. Harry March, who was part of the group that convinced Mara to buy the team from the league, helped him establish the team by taking a job as the team's secretary. March guiding him through the team's early years, handling the personnel decisions. Mara rented the Polo Grounds as the team's stadium, and March developed a strategy that hinged on acquiring college stars such as Jim Thorpe.〔Gottehrer. pgs. 25–7, 45〕 At 37 years old, Thorpe was a shadow of his former self, and although he signed with the team, his contract required that he only play parts of games during the early portion of the season, until he got into shape, at which point he would play full games. He played only the first regular season game however, before ending his Giants career due to injury.〔Gottehrer. pg. 28–9〕 His absence would severely hurt the team's monetary outlook for the season.〔Gottehrer. pg. 30〕 Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season, going 8–4 in 1925,〔(New York Giants ), footballreference.com, accessed November 2, 2010.〕 their financial status was a different story. The players' salaries were so low that they could not fully dedicate themselves to the game as most of them had to work other jobs. The team's abbreviated practices, held at 4:30 PM each day so as not to conflict with work schedules, also allowed for little in-season improvement.〔Gottehrer. pgs. 27–8〕 Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. Mara had to spend $25,000 of his own money during the season just to keep the franchise alive.〔 This struggle continued until the 11th game of the season when Red Grange and the Chicago Bears came to town, attracting more than 73,000 fans—a pro football record.〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 52〕 The game attracted such attention that 20,000 fans were turned away at the gates.〔Watterson. pg. 154〕 This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise.〔(NFL History: 1921-1930 ), NFL.com/history, accessed May 13, 2007.〕〔Carroll. pg. 126〕 New York went 8–4–1 in 1926,〔 and withstood a challenge from an upstart American football league led by a team featuring Grange. Grange and his agent had formed the American Football League and placed their flagship team, the Yankees, in New York.〔 Grange's agent, C.C. Pyle, had tried to get the franchise admitted into the NFL using Yankee Stadium but was blocked by Mara, who asserted his territorial rights clause. Angered, Pyle swore revenge, saying "I am now ready to put the National Football League, and Mr. Mara out of business."〔Gottehrer. pgs. 40–1〕 According to a story published by ''The New York Times'' in December 1926, the Giants lost over $50,000 during the season.〔(Pro Football Here to Stay, Says Mara; Giants to Play Next Year Despite Losses -- Game Also to Remain at Ebbets Field. ), ''The New York Times'', December 19, 1926, accessed June 4, 2007.〕 Grange's league lasted one season however, and was subsumed into the NFL.〔 Grange went back to playing for the Bears before the 1928 season, and the Yankees folded a year later.〔Gottehrer. pg. 49〕 The Giants had a very successful season in 1927, finishing 11–1–1.〔(Championship games 1925-1949 ), giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.〕 Mara had instructed March to spend freely to acquire talent, and he signed Cal Hubbard, a 6'5" 245 lb. two-way end, who had led small Geneva College to a victory over then-powerful Harvard the previous year.〔Gottehrer. pg. 54〕 Led by team captain, defensive tackle Steve Owen, they held their opponents to 20 points on the season,〔Pervin. pg. 19〕 with their league best defense posting 10 shutouts in 13 games.〔 On offense they were led by halfback Jack McBride, whose 57 points led the league in scoring, and his versatile backfield partner Hinkey Haines.〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch, Rick. pg. 68〕〔(Giants Offensive Statistics (1925-1959) ) (PDF), giants.com/history, accessed May 12, 2007.〕 New coach Earl Potteiger led the team into a game against the Chicago Bears late in the season with first place on the line. New York won 13–7 in what Owen called, "the toughest, roughest football game I ever played."〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 69〕 From then on it was an easy trip to the championship,〔(History of the New York Giants ), giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.〕 as they had a 2-game lead over the Bears by virtue of their head to head tiebreaker (note: the championship was determined by record in that era; it was not until 1933 that the NFL had a championship game). Despite solid performances by linemen Hubbard and Steve Owen,〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 75〕 New York finished a disappointing 4–7–2 in 1928.〔 Following the season, the team released 18 players and Potteiger was fired and replaced by LeRoy Andrews. Before the 1929 season Mara purchased the entire squad of the Detroit Wolverines, including star quarterback Benny Friedman, a team which had finished in third place the year before. The rosters of the two teams were combined under the Giants name and this led to immediate improvement as the Giants record soared to 13–1–1 in 1929.〔(1941 New York Giants ), football reference.com, October 5, 2010.〕 Friedman's arrival in particular boosted tickets sales and fan interest, which more than covered the expense of his high salary ($10,000).〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 78〕 However, their only loss was a 20-6 defeat in November to the Green Bay Packers who by virtue of this win, and their 12–0–1 record, won the NFL title.〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 79〕 That Packers team featured Hubbard who Green Bay had bought from New York after he expressed a desire to play there.〔Gottehrer. pg. 69 * (Cal Hubbard signs with Bay Packers ), ''The Milwaukee Journal'', August 1, 1929, accessed December 3, 2010.〕 Before the season, Mara had transferred ownership of the team over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors,〔 and during the season the team added star Army halfback Red Cagle whose drawing power helped the team's financials, but whose performance did little to aid their on-field product.〔Gottehrer. pgs. 75–7, 97〕 In 1930, there were still many who questioned the quality of the professional game, claiming the college "amateurs" played with more intensity.〔 In December 1930, the Giants played a team of Notre Dame All Stars at the Polo Grounds to raise money for the unemployed of New York City. It was also an opportunity to establish the superiority of the pro game. Knute Rockne reassembled his Four Horsemen along with the stars of his 1930 Championship squad and told them to score early, then defend. Rockne, like much of the public, thought little of pro football and expected an easy win.〔 But from the beginning it was a one way contest, with Friedman running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran passing for another. Notre Dame failed to score, and New York played its backups in the second half. When it was all over, Coach Rockne told his team, "That was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt."〔Gottehrer. pgs. 79–83〕 The game raised $115,183 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game.〔Gottehrer. pg. 84 *(Giants vs. Notre Dame ), hapmoran.org, accessed February 14, 2011.〕〔Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 83〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「History of the New York Giants (1925–78)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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