The Los Angeles Angels have a history of ups and downs, name changes and venue changes, but that has not prevented them from having a loyal band of fans who go out to buy Angels tickets. This team known as the name “Angels,” originating from the name of Los Angeles, has left their mark in the MLB since 1892.
The modern era of the Angles came into being in 1961when Gene Autry, the first owner, took over the franchise name from O’Malley. Gene Autry owned the franchise for the first 36 years. The MLB considers the current Los Angeles Angels franchise to be an expansion team since the team was not in the major league prior to 1961. In 1997 The Walt Disney Company took control of the team. They sold the franchise to Arturo Moreno in 2005.
Initially the Angels played in the Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. They moved in 1962 to the Dodgers Stadium in Chavez Ravine as tenants. In 1965, they shifted to the newly constructed Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim just in time for the1966 season. When the Walt Disney Company took control of the team in 1997, after extensive repairs and renovation of the stadium, they renamed it Edison International Field of Anaheim. The city of Anaheim had contributed $30 million towards the renovations with the proviso that the name Anaheim be retained as a part of the Stadium name.
The name Los Angeles Angels originated in 1892 and continued with the first franchise in 1961. In 1997, as a part of a deal with the city of Anaheim, the owners of the Los Angeles Angels, The Walt Disney Company, renamed the team to “The Anaheim Angels.” In 2005, the new owner Arturo Moreno, renamed the team, “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.” This new name brought him in conflict with the city of Anaheim, but Moreno prevailed and the name stands till date.
In its inception year 1961, the Angels finished the league with 70 to 91 which was a 0.435 winning percentage, which was the best for a rookie team in the League. The first notable players were Bilko, El Monte and Pearson. In 1962 the Angels had an even better year. They were contenders of the American League pennant for a major part of the season, before dropping to third place. Bo Belinsky created history by pitching the first ‘no hit’ game at the Dodgers Stadium against the Orioles. In 1964 they finished fifth. The 70’s were characterized by mediocre years except for the efforts of Nolan Ryan’s ‘no hitter’ pitching. He set a 383 strikeout mark in 1973. In 1979, the Angels won their first American League West Division championship under manager Fregosi. In post season 1982, the Angels missed making the World Series by a whisker. This happened again in 1986 with a loss to Boston 7-6. The fans found a scapegoat in pitcher Moore. This led to tragic consequences with Moore taking his own life three years later. For most of the 90’s, the Angeles played below par with 0.500 baseball, in part due to confusion of ownership due to Autry’s old age and ill health. In 1995 the Angels had a nightmarish year with the worst collapse in franchise history. They lost key players such as DiSarcina. They got a 9-1 drubbing in the playoffs against the Mariners. The first whiff of success came when the Angeles beat the Giants by 6-5 in the World Series Championship in 2002. Glaus, Rodriquez and Lackey were some of the key players. In the 2005 season, they became the first team in American League to clinch their division but lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Championship Series. 2007 was a good year for the Angels. They won 50 games in the West division. The notable players of this season were Lackey, Guerrero and Rodriquez. They also won the West division championship. In 2008, the Angels won their seventh West division title. The players who made their mark were Saunders, Adenhart, Oliver, Palmer, O’Sullivan and Hunter. The 2010 season proved to be a mediocre year for the Angels.
The Los Angeles Angels have had a loyal band of fans who support their team by purchasing Angels tickets. They flocked to watch their team games and have broken attendance records with the sell of Angel tickets. The Rally Monkey, the Mascot of the Angels, appears at crucial times in the game to help fans rally behind the team with raucous support. The Los Angeles Angels are a team which looks towards the future with a sense of optimism.
