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For the pre-1958 Pacific Coast League franchise see: Los Angeles Angels (PCL).

Template:MLB infobox Angels The Anaheim Angels are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Anaheim, California and aligned in the Western Division of the American League. They are informally referred to as the Halos. Because of the unusual length of the team's official name, most news organizations refer to the club as the Los Angeles Angels.

Franchise history

Prelude: The American League Comes to Los Angeles

For many years, there had been talk of an existing American League team relocating to Los Angeles. In 1940, the old St. Louis Browns asked AL owners for permission to move to Los Angeles, but were turned down. They planned another move for the 1942 season, and this time got permission from the league. A schedule was even drawn up including Los Angeles, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941 made major-league sports of any sort on the West Coast unviable. In 1953, there was again talk of the Browns moving to L.A. for the 1954 season, but the team was sold and moved to Baltimore instead as the Orioles. There were on-again, off-again discussions between city officials and the Washington Senators regarding a possible move. There were also rumors that the Philadelphia Athletics' move to Kansas City in 1955 was a temporary stop on the way to Los Angeles.

In the end it was the National League that first came to the city, in the form of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley purchased the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels in early 1957 from Chicago Cubs owner Phil Wrigley. Under the rules of the time, he also acquired the rights to a major league team in Los Angeles, which he used to move the Dodgers there a year later. Under ordinary circumstances, that would have precluded any subsequent American League presence in the Los Angeles area. However, in an effort to prevent the proposed Continental League from becoming a reality, in 1960 the two existing leagues agreed to expand, adding two new teams to each league. Though the understanding was that expansion teams would be placed in cities without major league baseball, that agreement quickly broke down. When the National League placed a team in New York (the Mets) as its tenth franchise, the American League announced plans to place an expansion team in Los Angeles, to begin play in 1961.

The Inception of a Franchise

The Team Has an Owner

Gene Autry, former movie cowboy, singer, actor and owner of a number of radio and TV stations on the West Coast of the United States, attended the Major League Owners’ meeting in St. Louis in 1960 in hopes of winning broadcasting rights for the new team’s games. Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg was initially on the fast track to be the team's first owner, with Bill Veeck as a partner. However, O'Malley wasn't about to compete with Veeck and threatened to scuttle the whole deal by invoking his exclusive right to operate a major league team in Southern California. After it became obvious that O'Malley would never sign off on the deal as long as Veeck was a part-owner, Greenberg was forced to bow out. After another bid by Chicago insurance executive and future A's owner Charlie Finley failed, Autry was persuaded to make a bid himself. Autry (who had been a minority stockholder in the Angels' PCL rival, the Hollywood Stars) agreed, and purchased the franchise.

The Team Gets Its Name

Autry named the new franchise the Los Angeles Angels. The origins of the name date back to 1892, when it was first used by a Los Angeles franchise in the California League. The Angel moniker has always made sense for Los Angeles teams, since "The Angels" is a literal English translation of the Spanish "Los Angeles." It was also a nod to the long-successful PCL team that played in Los Angeles from 1903 through 1957. O'Malley still owned the rights to the Angels name even after moving the team to Spokane to make way for the Dodgers, so Autry paid O'Malley $300,000 for the rights to the name.

The '60s: Early AL Years

Angels in Los Angeles

For most of their history, the Angels have floundered on the field and in the marketplace. But, there have been a few bright spots. In 1961, the first year of the team’s existence, the Halos finished 70-91 for a .435 winning percentage, still the highest winning percentage ever for a first-year major league expansion team. Moreover, they not only finished 9 games ahead of their fellow expansionists, the new Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers), but also 9 games ahead of the Kansas City Athletics. The 1961 Angels, admittedly a motley crew, featured portly first baseman Steve Bilko, a long-time fan favorite, having played many years with the PCL Angels. Another favorite was the diminutive (5' 5-3/8") centerfielder, El Monte native Albie Pearson.

In 1962, under the terms of their agreement with O'Malley, the Angels moved to Dodger Stadium, which they would refer to as Chavez Ravine. That year, the Angels -- amazingly -- were a contender for the American League pennant for most of the season, even leading the American League standings on July 4, before finishing in third place, 10 games behind the New York Yankees, who won their 27th American League pennant. On May 5 of that year, Bo Belinsky, who was as famous for his dexterity with the pool cue and his dating of Hollywood starlets (most particularly Mamie Van Doren) as for his pitching prowess, tossed the first no-hit game in the history of Dodger Stadium/Chavez Ravine, blanking the Orioles 5-0. (Though raised in the Jewish faith, Belinsky later became a born-again Christian and counselor, advising against the lifestyle which once was his trademark.)

In 1964, the Angels again finished in the American League first division (fifth place), and pitcher Dean Chance won the Major League Cy Young Award that year. But, the need for a new stadium became more and more evident. It was thought the Angels would never develop a large fan base playing as tenants of the Dodgers. Also, O'Malley charged the Angels for 50% of all stadium supplies, even though the Angels at the time drew at best half of the Dodgers' attendance.

Angels Move From Los Angeles to Anaheim

Stymied in his attempt to get a new stadium in Los Angeles, Autry looked elsewhere. His first choice for a stadium was the site offered by the city of Long Beach. However, the city insisted the team be renamed the "Long Beach Angels," a condition Autry refused to accept. He was able to strike a deal with the suburban city of Anaheim in Orange County, and construction began on Anaheim Stadium (nicknamed the "Big A" by Southern Californians), where the Halos moved in 1966. On September 2, 1965, team ownership announced the Los Angeles Angels would henceforth be known as the California Angels, in anticipation of the team's move to Anaheim the following year. They were the second Major League baseball team to be named after an entire state, following the Minnesota Twins. At the time, though they were one of three major league teams in the state of California, the Halos were the only American League team in the state. (Despite the move of the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland in 1968, the Angels retained their "California" moniker through 1996.)

In their last year at Chavez Ravine, the Angels drew only 566,727 paying customers. In their 1966 inaugural year in Anaheim, the Halos drew over 1.4 million, leading the American League in attendance. In 1967, their second year in Anaheim, the Angels contended for the American League pennant as part of a five-team pennant race (along with Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota and eventual winner Boston) before fading in late August, but eventually became the "spoilers" by defeating Detroit at Tiger Stadium in the last game of the regular season to give Boston its first AL pennant in 23 years. In 1970 the Angels finished third in the AL Western Division and Alex Johnson became the first (and so far only) Angel to win an American League batting title. Other notable Angels of this period included pitcher Ken McBride, shortstop Jim Fregosi, outfielders Albie Pearson and Leon Wagner, and catcher Buck Rodgers. Fregosi and Rodgers later managed the Angels.

That '70s Show: Nolan Ryan and the Playoffs

The Ryan Express

During the 1970s, although Angel fans endured some mediocre years on the field they also were able to enjoy the heroics of fireballer Nolan Ryan, who tossed four no-hit games and set several strikeout records, most notably a 383-strikeout mark in 1973, still a major league record. Ryan was acquired in a trade that sent Jim Fregosi to the Mets in one of the most one-sided trades in the history of the game. Ryan had been a middle relief pitcher on the "Miracle Mets" team that captured the 1969 World Series. Ryan's feats caused him to be named the "Ryan Express", after the 1965 film Von Ryan's Express, which starred Frank Sinatra. His prowess, combined with that of fellow moundsman Frank Tanana, produced the refrain "Tanana, Ryan and Two Days of Cryin'", a derivative of the refrain "Spahn, Sain and Two Days of Rain", coined when Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain anchored the pitching staff of the then Boston Braves in the 1940s.

Ironically, the 1970s came to a close with the decision by then-general manager Buzzie Bavasi to allow Ryan, arguably the greatest player in the history of the Angel franchise, to become a free agent. At the time, Bavasi remarked that Ryan, whose 1979 record was 16-14, could be replaced "with two pitchers who go 8-7." Later, he would regard it for what it was: the worst mistake he ever made as a general manager.

Angels Finally Reach The Playoffs

The Angels won their first American League West Division championship in 1979, under manager Jim Fregosi, a former Angel shortshop who was sent to the New York Mets in 1972 as part of the trade that brought Nolan Ryan to the Angels. Don Baylor became the first designated hitter to win the American League Most Valuable Player award. Other contributors to the team, which featured a powerful offense, were Bert Campaneris, Rod Carew, Dan Ford and Bobby Grich. However, the Angels lost what then was a best 3-out-of-5 American League Championship Series to the Baltimore Orioles, managed by Earl Weaver, 3 games to 1. The Angels won Game 3 at home, scoring twice in the bottom of the 9th inning to shade Baltimore 4-3.

The '80s Generation: A Decade of Frustration

Guests In Their Own House

1979 had been the Halos' last season at the "old" Big A. The Los Angeles Rams football team agreed to move to Anaheim for the 1980 season, with seating increased to almost 65,000. The expansion completely enclosed the stadium, replacing the view of the mountains with three decks of gray concrete. In the 1980s, like many other baseball teams of that era, the Angels learned the difficulties of marketing the team while playing in a multi-purpose facility with a seating capacity too large for baseball.

One game away

The Angels nearly reached the World Series in the 1982 postseason. Reggie Jackson, who previously starred for the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees, joined the team that year and teamed with many holdovers from the 1979 team for the 1982 effort. After clinching first place in the AL West Division, the Angels won the first two games of the ALCS against the A.L. East champion Milwaukee Brewers -- then lost three in a row to lose the series . As Steve Bisheff wrote in Tales from the Angels Dugout, “No team in history had ever come back from an 0-2 deficit to win in a best-of-five series. Of course, no team had ever faced the Angels in that situation.” (It should be noted that at that time, the team with home field advantage played the first two games on the road before hosting the final three games at home---something that was changed following the 1984 season. In subsequent years, the same, or worse, has happened to other teams.)

One Strike Away

Again, the Angels nearly reached the World Series in the 1986 post season. Baylor was gone, but among the new additions were American League Rookie Of The Year runner-up Wally Joyner and pitcher Chuck Finley. Champions of the American League West under Gene Mauch, who also managed the Angels to the 1982 AL West title, the Angels faced the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS (now best 4-out-of-7). Leading in the series 3 games to 1, the Angels were one out away from defeating Boston and going to the World Series for the first time in their franchise history. Leading 5-2 in the top of the ninth inning of Game Five, starter Mike Witt surrendered a two-run home run. After reliever Gary Lucas hit Rich Gedman with his first and only pitch, closer Donnie Moore came in to pitch during the top of the 9th inning of Game Five with a 5-4 lead. Though twice the Halos were one strike away from the Series, Moore gave up a two-out, two-ball, two-strike, two-run home run to Dave Henderson that put Boston ahead 6-5. After the Angels tied the game in the bottom of the 9th, Boston went on to win the game 7-6 in 11 innings and win the remaining two games in the Series to play in the 1986 World Series, which they lost to the New York Mets and which was noted for the infamous Bill Buckner "muff".

The Aftermath

While the Angels fans were hard on Moore, Moore was even harder on himself, and this one pitch would haunt him the rest of the days until he finally took his own life, claiming to have never gotten over that moment. This last was one of the tragedies that would haunt the Angels throughout their existence and prompt talk of a "hex" upon the franchise (promising star Lyman Bostock was shot to death in 1978 while visiting friends in Gary, Indiana). The 1986 season would be the last time in 16 years the Angels would make the playoffs. In 1989 the Angels led the AL West by a large margin in August, but faded and finished behind the Oakland Athletics, who, managed by Tony LaRussa and paced by Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson, would go on to win the Loma Prieta earthquake-marred 1989 World Series.

Those '90s Years: New Owners, a New Name, and Old Results

The Collapse

For most of this decade, the Angels played sub-.500 baseball, due in no small part to the confusion which reigned at the top. Gene Autry, though holding a controlling interest in the Angels, was in control in name only due to poor health in his advanced years. Autry’s wife Jackie, 20 years his junior, at times seemed to be the decision-maker, and at other times the Disney Company, now a minority stockholder, seemed to be in charge.

In 1995 the Halos suffered the worst collapse in the team’s history. In first place by 11 games in August, the Angels again lost key personnel in the final stretch and ended up in a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the A.L. West Division championship. Seattle, managed by Lou Pinella, and led by star pitcher Randy Johnson, won the division title (the Mariners' first American League west title) in a one game playoff, which the M’s won 9-1.

The Curse of the Cowboy?

Given the team's inability to win a pennant thus far, the postseason disasters of 1982 and 1986, the 1995 collapse, and such tragic events as the 1978 murder of outfielder Lyman Bostock and the events that led to the suicide of Donnie Moore, it was suggested that there must be a "curse" on the Angels. Since there did not appear to be a single defining moment when things started to go downhill, or one where "the baseball gods" might have been offended, some suggested that it was Autry who was the cause, a grand life seeing all its good luck evened out in his ownership of a baseball team. The idea of a "Curse of the Cowboy" did not take hold, however, due to the great affection Autry engendered as a public figure, and the idea would diminish with the sale of the team and its later postseason success.

To some extent, the idea of different curse did take hold, however. Prior to the Angels' World Series victory in 2002, some had theorized that the team did not have success because its stadium, The Big A, was supposedly — Anaheim historians have been unable to either confirm or disprove the legend — built upon an ancient Indian burial ground.

Heck, people were talking about it in spring training. We were standing around the outfield one day and everyone was concerned about the stadium being cursed because it was built on an ancient Indian burial ground. We were going to go get an exorcist or a Catholic priest or something to get rid of the curse. I'm like, "I don't want to be on an Indian burial ground."

— Ben Weber, former Angel pitcher in 2002

The Disney Effect

Although the Walt Disney Company did not formally acquire the controlling interest in the Angels until 1999, it had held a minority interest for several years and influenced the team’s actions during that time, especially given the declining health of Gene Autry, who died in 1998. The Disney Company effectively took control of the Angels in 1996, when it hired Tony Tavares as team president. Though he eventually left the post, Tavares did hire Bill Stoneman as team general manager, under whose watch the Halos eventually won their only World Series Championship.

Disney, of course, had been the catalyst for the development of and population growth in Orange County, having opened its Disneyland theme park in Anaheim in 1955. Walt Disney was named to the Angels’ Board of Directors by Autry in 1960, serving until his death in 1966, and was one of the proponents of the team’s move to Orange County.

Downsizing the Stadium: The Big Ed?!?

In 1995, the year of the Angels' worst regular season collapse, the Los Angeles Rams had moved to St. Louis, citing the deteriorating conditions at Anaheim Stadium as a primary cause for the move. Angel management, stuck in an aging, oversized "white elephant" of a stadium, hinted the team might be moved from Southern California as well.

In 1997, negotiations between the Angels and the city of Anaheim for renovation of Anaheim Stadium ended with an agreement to rehabilitate and downsize the facility into a baseball-only stadium once more. One condition of the stadium agreement was that the Angels could sell naming rights to the renovated stadium, so long as the new name was one "containing Anaheim therein." Anaheim Stadium was almost immediately renamed "Edison International Field of Anaheim," though it was almost always referred to as simply "Edison Field." Sportscasters also refer to the stadium at the time as "The Big Ed", although only a few continued to use the "Big A" nickname and at times "Anaheim Stadium"

Downsizing the Name: The Anaheim Angels

Another condition of the stadium renovation agreement was that the team name itself be one "containing Anaheim therein." The emerging Disney ownership was itself in the process of renovating and upgrading its aging Disneyland park. Disney hoped to market Anaheim as a "destination city," much the same way it had done with Orlando, Florida, where Walt Disney World was located. Accordingly, the team changed its name again, to the Anaheim Angels. Many fans of the team protested the name change, believing the Anaheim name was small-time, though in time the protests fizzled out.

During the thirty-one years that the team was known as the California Angels, the team never once wore the word California on its uniforms (although during some years the team's logo included a California state map). Far from marketing the team statewide, Angel ownership had instead marketed the team as an Orange County team. So, in a sense, the 1997 name change was official confirmation of de facto team policy since 1966.

Team uniforms changed in 1997 as well. The familiar "A-N-G-E-L-S" spelled out on the jersey front was replaced with a logo designed by Disney Studios, being a stylized form of the team name with an enlarged angel wing to the left of the "A", on new pinstriped faux vest jerseys.

The New Millennium: New Owners, a New Name, and New Results

Angels First World Series Title

Then came 2002. The year began with the team scrapping its pinstriped vest jerseys after five years, reverting back to uniforms conforming more to the team's traditional uniforms, but now mostly red, with but a bit of navy blue trim. Significantly, the Halos' road jerseys now read "Anaheim," the first time the team's geographic location had been noted on its uniforms since 1965.

Claimed to be third place finishers in a four-team division by pundits before the 2002 season, the Angels, managed by former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Scioscia went on to win 99 games to earn the American League "wildcard" berth, after a miserable 6-14 start to the regular season. They defeated the New York Yankees 3 games to 1 in the American League Division Series and the Minnesota Twins 4 games to 1 in the ALCS to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

In the 2002 World Series they met the San Francisco Giants, paced by slugger Barry Bonds, in what ended up being the highest-scoring World Series of all time. San Francisco took Game 1 4-3, but the Angels followed that up by winning Games 2 (11-10) and 3 (10-4). The Giants came back to win Games 4 (4-3) and 5 (16-4). The turning point in the series came in Game 6. In what many consider one of the greatest World Series games ever played, the Angels trailed 5-0 and were 8 outs away from elimination before rallying for 3 runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to win 6-5. It was the biggest post-season comeback in Angels baseball history. The Halos then won Game 7, 4-1, to claim their franchise's first and only World Series Championship, finally erasing the past failures that has haunted this franchise since its inception.

Third baseman Troy Glaus was named the MVP of the Series. Twenty-year-old rookie relief pitcher Francisco Rodríguez won five postseason games, a record, never having won a major league game before. Angel pitcher John Lackey became the first rookie pitcher to win the 7th game of the World Series in 93 years.

The Rally Monkey

The Angels' dire 2001 season marked the introduction of an unofficial mascot known as the Rally Monkey. The whole movement began as a joke by the video crew in the stadium during a game where the Angels were trailing the Giants 6-3. A looped clip of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective where a monkey jumps up and down was shown on the Jumbotron Video Screen with the flashing sign of "Rally Monkey" during a pitching change. The Angels went on to win that game, and started to build a following as "the comeback kids", most famously exemplified in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series (coincidentally against the Giants).

A New Owner

On May 15, 2003, Disney sold the Angels to Angels Baseball, L.P., a group headed by advertising magnate Arturo "Arte" Moreno. The sale made the Angels the first major American sports team to be owned by a Hispanic owner and also signaled the beginning of the end of Disney's involvement in professional sports. The company sold the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim hockey team two years later.

The Stadium Renamed: Angel Stadium of Anaheim

In 2003, after a seven-year run as "Edison International Field of Anaheim", Edison removed its name from the stadium. The stadium was renamed "Angel Stadium of Anaheim," again almost always referred to as simply "Angel Stadium", although the original name "Anaheim Stadium" is still used by many locals. According to current ownership, there are no current plans to change the name. Over the years, there have been few, if any, complaints from Anaheim officials about the dropping of "of Anaheim" from common parlance when referring to the stadium.

The Team Renamed: Anaheim Angels

On January 3, 2005 Angels Baseball, L.P. announced that it would change the name of the club from the Anaheim Angels to the Anaheim Angels. As stated in the club's 2005 media guide:

The inclusion of Los Angeles reflects the original expansion name and returns the Angels as Major League Baseball's American League representative in the Greater Los Angeles territory.

The new name infuriated Anaheim city leaders, who rejected the team's explanation and sued the Angels, accusing the team of breach of contract. A jury trial, which concluded February 9, 2006, resulted in a verdict siding with the Angels and allowing the team to keep the new name.

Recent Achievements

In 2004, newly acquired Free-Agent Vladimir Guerrero won the American League Most Valuable Player Award as he led the Angels to a fourth American League West championship.

Also in 2004, the Angels mounted a spirited comeback to overcome the division leading Oakland Athletics in the last week of the regular season, clinching the title in the next-to-last game. However, they were swept in the American League Division Series 3 games to 0 by the Boston Red Sox, who went on to win their first World Series since 1918.

In the 2005 season, the Angels became the first team in the American League to clinch their division, doing so with 5 games left in the regular season. It was also the first time the team had made the playoffs in back-to-back years. The Angels went on in 2005 to beat the New York Yankees in the Division Series in 5 games, but lost in the American League Championship Series to the eventual World Series Champions Chicago White Sox in 5 games. Pitcher Bartolo Colon, who went 21-8 for the season, was voted A.L. Cy Young Award winner in 2005, only the second Angel to be so honored (Dean Chance won the award in 1964).

Quick facts

Founded: 1961 (American League expansion)

Formerly known as:

• Los Angeles Angels (1961 to September 1, 1965)
• California Angels (September 2, 1965 to November 18, 1996)
• Anaheim Angels (November 19, 1996 to January 2, 2005)

Home ballpark: Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Uniform colors: Red, Dark Red, Navy Blue, and Silver.

Logo design: Red "A" including dark red shading along the outside of the left side, inside the right side and bottom of the cross of the "A." A silver halo circles the top of the "A," outlined and filled with navy blue. The same navy blue outlines the "A" as well as the halo.

Rivals: Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees

Playoff appearances (6): 1979, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2004, 2005

Local Televison: FSN West, FSN Prime Ticket, KCOP

Current roster

Anaheim Angels roster

Baseball Hall of Famers

• Nolan Ryan (1972-1979)

Other Hall of Famers Who Spent Part of Their Careers with the Angels

• Rod Carew (1979-1985)
• Reggie Jackson (1982-1986)
• Eddie Murray (1997)
• Frank Robinson (1973-1974)
• Don Sutton (1985-1987)
• Hoyt Wilhelm (1969)
• Dave Winfield (1990-1991)

Retired numbers

• 11 Jim Fregosi SS 1961-71, MGR 1978-81
• 26 Gene Autry Team Founder-Owner 1961-98, number refers to him as the team's "26th Man"
• 29 Rod Carew 1B 1979-85
• 30 Nolan Ryan P 1972-79
• 50 Jimmie Reese Coach 1972-94, as a teenager had been a batboy for the Pacific Coast League's Los Angeles Angels, 1919-23

Minor league affiliations

• AAA: Salt Lake Bees, Pacific Coast League
• AA: Arkansas Travelers, Texas League
• Advanced A: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, California League
• A: Cedar Rapids Kernels, Midwest League
• Rookie: AZL Angels, Arizona League
• Rookie: Orem Owlz, Pioneer League

References

• Bisheff, Steve. Tales from the Angels Dugout: The Championship Season and Other Great Angels Stories. Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2003. ISBN 1-58261-685-x.
• 2005 Angels Information Guide.

See also

• Angels award winners and league leaders
• Angels statistical records and milestone achievements
• Angels players of note
• Angels broadcasters and media
• Angels managers and ownership
• West Coast Baseball Team Naming Confusion

External links

• Anaheim Angels official website
• 6-4-2 An Angels/Dodgers Double Play Blog
• Angelswin.com - A Fan Site
• Halo Herald
• Halos Heaven
• Halo Hotline
• Halobaseball.com - Extensive Coverage on Everything Angels
• Sports E-Cyclopedia
• Anaheim Angels at Sportiki

Template:MLB Team Los Angeles Angels

• Anaheim Angels
• Major League Baseball teams
• Sports in Los Angeles
• 1961 establishments