The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 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. The Angels were founded by former actor Gene Autry in 1961 and played their first five seasons in Los Angeles . In 1964, the Angels finished in the American League first division (fifth place), and pitcher Dean Chance won the Major League Cy Young Award that year. Dean Chance finished the 1964 season with a 20-9 record and a 1.65 ERA. He was the first, and only, Angel to win the award and the youngest player ever to be given the honor. He recorded 11 shutouts that season. The Angeles played host to the longest game in the All-Star history. After the 1965 season the club moved to Anaheim and became the California Angels. They finished the season 1967 in 5 th place with 84-77 record.
Ryan had been a middle relief pitcher on the "Miracle Mets" team that captured the 1969 World Series. 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. In 1972 the Angels acquired right-handed pitcher Ryan from the New York Mets. In 1973 session Jim Palmer was voted for the CY Young. The Angels won their first American League West Division Championship in 1979, under manager Jim Fregosi, a former Angel short shop who was sent to the New York Mets in 1972 as part of the trade that brought Nolan Ryan to the Angels. It was in the year 1979 and under manager Jim Fregosi, that the team won there first division title. Don Baylor became the first designated hitter to win the AL Most Valuable Player award. Reggie Jackson joined the team in 1982 and led the league in home runs to power the team to its second division championship. Manager Gene Mauch guided the team to a 93-69 win-loss record before the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Angels in the AL Championship Series.
Mauch got retired in the next session in the year 1983 only to return back after two years. In 1986, he directed the Angels to their third division crown with a team that featured Veterans Jackson, third baseman Doug De Cinces, pitcher Don Sutton, and rookie first bas eman Wally Joyner. The team ended the season 1989 with solid record of 91-71 that is good enough for 3rd Place . In 1995 the Halos suffered the worst collapse in the team's history. In 1997 the team underwent changes as 90-year old Gene Autry who owned the Angels and gave as new look to the team, the team had a wretched season to finish just 6 behind the division championship Seattle Mariners with a score of 84-78. Anaheim Stadium was renamed Edison Field in 1998. The Angels have enjoyed tremendous success in Anaheim , highlighted by a World Championship in 2002. The Angels announced the team has changed its official name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This change is effective January 3, 2005 . The Anaheim Angels have won one World Series Championship (2002), have won one American League Pennant (2002), have won three Division titles (1979(AL West), 1982(AL West), and 1986(AL West)) and have been a Wild Card in 2002(AL). |
