About the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

1) Prior to The Dodgers and the Giants moving to California, when looking at Major League Baseball one would think that there wasn’t any west of Kansas City. Beginning with its formation in 1903, the same year as the first World Series, the Pacific Coast League, officially classified as a minor league, played baseball in the region. One of the charter teams of the PCL was named the Los Angeles Angels. When The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles the Angels PCL franchise was forced to move to move to a smaller market. When baseball in 1960 announced plans to expand it was planned to expand into cities that did not already have teams. But the National League decided to place a team in New York to replace the Giants who had moved to San Francisco. The only team at the time in New York was the American League Yankees. The American league then announced that they would expand into Los Angeles. Gene Autry, former movie cowboy, singer, actor and owner of Golden West Broadcasting, became the owner and named the franchise the Los Angeles Angels. The 1961 Angels posted a 70-93 season. The winning percentage of .435 is the highest for a first-year expansion team. In 1966 with the move to a new stadium in Anaheim they took the name California Angels. Even though they were called the California Angels the team only marketed in the Orange County area and did not wear California on their road uniforms. As part of a deal to renovate the Stadium the Angels agreed to have Anaheim as part of their name. At first they were the Anaheim Angels and in 2005 as the present name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

2) During the 1970’s the Angels had some up and down years, but they also had the pleasure of watching Nolan Ryan pitch for them. Ryan had been on the ‘miracle Mets’ team of 1969 and was traded in 1972 to the Angels in a trade that included Angel shortstop Jim Fregosi. While with the Angels Ryan threw 4 no-hit games and in 1973 had 383 strikeouts. This still is the record for strikeouts in a single year. In 1979 under manager Jim Fregosi they won the AL West division, but lost in the playoffs to the Baltimore Orioles. That team also had Rod Carew, Bobby Grich and Don Baylor. Don Baylor became the first designated hitter to win the American League Most Valuable Player award.

3) The Angles have won 5 Divisional titles and 1 Wild Card berth. It was with their Wild Card berth that they won their only American League pennant becoming the World Series champions in 2002.

4) The Angels have retired the uniform numbers; 11-Jim Fergosi, 26-Gene Autry, 29-Rod Carew, 30-Nolan Ryan, 50-Jimmie Reese. Autry was given the number 26 referring to him as the team’s “26th man”.

5) In 1966 the Angels began playing in their home games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California. Since then it was held the names Anaheim Stadium for 1966-1997 and Edison International Field of Anaheim from 1997-2003). In 2007 it has a capacity of 45,050.

6) The team is owned by Mexican/American billionaire Arturo Moreno. He became the first Hispanic to won a major sports team in the United States when he purchased the team from the Walt Disney Company in 2003. The team at the beginning of the 2007 season is managed by Mike Scioscia.

!