Table of Contents
Los Angeles Angels
Singing Cowboy Founder
The Los Angeles Angels were founded in 1961 by singing cowboy entertainer Gene Autry, making them one of the few MLB teams originally owned by a major celebrity. 1)
First Expansion Team Win Record
In their inaugural season, the 1961 Angels posted a 70–91 record—the best ever by an expansion team in its first year until matched by the 1993 Colorado Rockies. 2)
Wrigley Field Opening Home
Before Angel Stadium existed, the Angels played their first home games at Los Angeles’s Wrigley Field, a replica of Chicago’s iconic ballpark in 1961. 3)
Dodger Tenant Years
From 1962 to 1965, the Angels shared Dodger Stadium with the Los Angeles Dodgers before moving to Anaheim. 4)
Anaheim Move and Renaming
On September 2, 1965, the Angels moved to Anaheim and became the California Angels, reflecting their new suburban home. 5)
“Big A” Scoreboard Icon
Angel Stadium’s original 230-foot-tall A-frame scoreboard topped with a massive halo gave rise to its nickname, the “Big A.” 6)
First Anaheim Stadium Game
Angel Stadium opened on April 19, 1966, with a 3–2 win over the Chicago White Sox. 7)
Fourth-Oldest Active Park
With its debut in 1966, Angel Stadium ranks as the fourth-oldest active MLB ballpark. 8)
NFL Tenant Era
From 1980 to 1994, Angel Stadium hosted the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. 9)
Disney Renovation
After Disney purchased the Angels in 1997, it invested $100 million to renovate Angel Stadium into a baseball-only park. 10)
Edison International Field
The stadium was renamed Edison International Field of Anaheim in 1997 before reverting to Angel Stadium of Anaheim. 11)
2002 World Series Champions
As a Wild Card team, the 2002 Angels defeated the San Francisco Giants in seven games for their only World Series title. 12)
Wild Card Miracle
The Angels became the first club to win the World Series after finishing second in their division. 13)
Five Titles in Six Years
Between 2004 and 2009, under Mike Scioscia, the Angels claimed five AL West crowns. 14)
Nolan Ryan Era
Nolan Ryan pitched for the Angels from 1972–79, recording four no-hitters and 2,416 strikeouts. 15)
First Immaculate Inning
On August 15, 1972, Nolan Ryan recorded MLB’s first immaculate inning (nine pitches, three strikeouts). 16)
Vladimir Guerrero Debut
Vladimir Guerrero launched his Hall of Fame career with his first major league hit in 1996 for the Angels. 17)
Rod Carew .399 Season
In 1983, Rod Carew hit .399, the highest single-season batting average in Angels history. 18)
Reggie Jackson Homer
Reggie Jackson’s go-ahead home run in Game 4 of the 1986 ALCS gave the Angels a 7–6 victory over Boston. 19)
Drought of Playoffs
From 2011–14, the Angels experienced the longest playoff drought in MLB at four seasons. 20)
Mike Trout Rookie Star
Mike Trout won the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year, beginning a streak of 11 All-Star selections. 21)
Pujols’ Record Contract
In 2012, Albert Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract, then MLB’s largest. 22)
Ohtani’s Two-Way Role
Shohei Ohtani is the first player named an All-Star as both pitcher and hitter. 23)
Five MVPs by Three
Pujols, Trout (3), and Ohtani have combined for five AL MVP awards. 24)
5,000th Win Milestone
In 2024, the Angels became the first expansion team to record 5,000 franchise wins. 25)
Rally Monkey Origin
The “Rally Monkey” debuted on the scoreboard during the 2002 postseason, igniting fan excitement. 26)
Attendance Streak
From 2003–19, Angel Stadium attracted over 3 million fans per season. 27)
Forbes Valuation
In 2022, Forbes valued the Angels at $2.2 billion, ranking them among MLB’s top ten. 28)
No-Hitters Total Four
Four Angels no-hitters: Ryan (3) and Mike Witt (1984). 29)
Retired Numbers Two
The Angels have retired Nolan Ryan’s #30 and Rod Carew’s #29. 30)
First Playoff Series Win
The Angels’ first playoff series victory came in the 2002 ALDS vs. Minnesota. 31)
First Gold Glove
Jim Fregosi won the franchise’s first Gold Glove at shortstop in 1967. 32)
First Hall Inductee
Bert Blyleven became the first former Angel elected to Cooperstown (2011). 33)
First 100-Win Team
The 2008 Angels won 100 games, a franchise first. 34)
Ryan’s Strikeout Record
Nolan Ryan’s 327 strikeouts in 1973 stand as his personal high. 35)
Single-Game Crowd Record
Angel Stadium set its attendance record at 63,838 for an NFL contest in 1973. 36)
No-Hitter Loss Anomaly
On July 13, 2008, the Angels lost 1–0 despite pitching a no-hitter. 37)
Youngest Starter Since Trout
Shohei Ohtani, at age 24, was the youngest Angel starter since Mike Trout. 38)
First California Franchise
The Angels were the first MLB team founded in California. 39)
Trout Draft Highlight
Mike Trout, drafted 25th overall in 2009, became the franchise’s most decorated draftee. 40)
Longest-Tenured Manager
Mike Scioscia’s 19-year tenure (2000–18) is the longest in Angels history. 41)
No Back-to-Back Cy Youngs
No Angel has ever won consecutive Cy Young Awards. 42)
1997–98 Renovation Cost
Disney’s $100 million retrofit of Angel Stadium was among MLB’s priciest. 43)
No Naming Rights Sale
Angel Stadium remains one of MLB’s few parks never to sell naming rights. 44)
Concourse Club Exhibits
The Concourse Club showcases every postseason home run ball since 2002. 45)
First Number Retired Date
The Angels retired Nolan Ryan’s #30 on July 4, 1996. 46)
Diverse Ownership
Gene Autry founded the team, Disney owned it (1997–2003), and Arte Moreno acquired it in 2003. 47)
Live Orchestra Debut
In 1975, the Angels introduced live orchestral music at games, an MLB first. 48)