History of the Los Angeles Angels facts for kids

The Los Angeles Angels are a professional baseball team that plays in Anaheim, California. They are part of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the American League (AL) West division. The team's name, "Angels," comes from their original home city, Los Angeles. It was inspired by an older minor league team called the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels team started in 1961. They have played their home games at Angel Stadium since 1966.

How the Angels Team Started (1960–1961)

Before the Angels, people in Los Angeles wanted a major league baseball team. In 1960, a famous movie cowboy and singer named Gene Autry wanted to get the broadcasting rights for a new team. But then, he was convinced to buy the team himself! Autry named the new team the Los Angeles Angels. This name had been used by Los Angeles baseball teams since 1892. "The Angels" is a direct English translation of "Los Angeles" in Spanish. It also honored the successful minor league team that played in Los Angeles for many years.

Early Seasons in Los Angeles (1961–1965)

The Angels played their first season in 1961. They finished with 70 wins and 91 losses. This was the best winning percentage ever for a new MLB expansion team in its first year! They played their first games at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.

In 1962, the Angels moved to Dodger Stadium, which they called Chavez Ravine. That year, the Angels played very well and were contenders for the American League championship for most of the season. On May 5, 1962, pitcher Bo Belinsky threw the first no-hit game in the history of Dodger Stadium. He did not allow any hits to the opposing team, the Baltimore Orioles.

In 1964, Angels pitcher Dean Chance won the Cy Young Award. This award goes to the best pitcher in each league. The team needed a new stadium because playing in the Dodgers' stadium was not ideal.

Moving to Anaheim (1966–1971)

Since they couldn't get a new stadium in Los Angeles, Gene Autry looked elsewhere. He found a deal with the city of Anaheim in Orange County. Construction began on Anaheim Stadium, which fans called The Big A. The Angels moved there in 1966.

On September 2, 1965, the team announced they would be called the California Angels. This was because they were moving to Anaheim the next year. They were the second MLB team to be named after an entire state.

In their first year in Anaheim (1966), the Angels had over 1.4 million fans attend their games. This was the most in the American League! In 1967, the Angels almost won the American League championship. In 1970, Alex Johnson became the first (and only) Angel to win an American League batting title. Other important players from this time included pitchers Clyde Wright and Ken McBride, shortstop Jim Fregosi, and catcher Buck Rodgers.

The Nolan Ryan Era (1972–1979)

The 1970s brought exciting times for Angels fans because of the amazing pitcher Nolan Ryan. He threw four of his seven career no-hitters while playing for the Angels. In 1973, he set a major league record by striking out 383 batters in one season! Ryan was so fast that fans called him the Ryan Express.

First AL West Title (1979)

The Angels won their first American League West Division championship in 1979. Their manager was Jim Fregosi, who used to be an Angels shortstop. Don Baylor became the first designated hitter to win the American League Most Valuable Player award. The team had a powerful offense with players like Rod Carew and Bobby Grich. However, the Angels lost the American League Championship Series to the Baltimore Orioles.

Close Calls in the Postseason (1980–1989)

The Angels almost reached the World Series twice in the 1980s.

One Game Away (1982)

In 1982, the Angels won their second AL West championship. They had star players like Reggie Jackson. They won the first two games of the best-of-five ALCS against the Milwaukee Brewers. But then, they lost the next three games in a row and lost the series. No team had ever come back from an 0–2 deficit in a best-of-five series before.

One Strike Away (1986)

The Angels won the AL West again in 1986. They faced the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS. The Angels were leading the series 3 games to 1. In Game 5, they were one out away from winning the series and going to the World Series for the first time! They were ahead 5–2 in the ninth inning. But then, Boston hit a two-run home run. Later, with two outs and two strikes, Boston's Dave Henderson hit a two-run home run that put them ahead 6–5.

Even though the Angels tied the game, Boston won in extra innings. The Red Sox then won the next two games in Boston to win the championship. This loss was very hard for Angels fans.

A Difficult Decade (1990–1999)

The 1990s were tough for the Angels. The team often had losing seasons. In 1995, the Angels had a terrible collapse. They were in first place in the AL West by 11 games on August 9. But they started losing many games and ended up tied with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners then beat the Angels in a special playoff game for the division title. This loss was another heartbreak for the team and its fans.

Some people even joked that there was a "curse" on the Angels because they couldn't win a championship. One theory was that the stadium was built on an ancient Native American burial ground.

In 1996, The Walt Disney Company took control of the Angels. Disney wanted to make Anaheim a "destination city." So, the team changed its name again on November 19, 1996, to the Anaheim Angels. The stadium was also renamed Edison International Field of Anaheim.

First World Series Win (2000–2009)

Angels players being honored at the White House Rose Garden by President George W. Bush

The year 2002 was amazing for the Angels! Many experts thought the team would finish in third place. The Angels started the season with a poor record of 6 wins and 14 losses. But then, they started winning a lot! They won 99 games and earned a spot in the playoffs as a Wild Card team.

The Angels defeated the New York Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. Then, they beat the Minnesota Twins to win the American League championship for the first time ever!

In the 2002 World Series, the Angels played against the San Francisco Giants. It was a very high-scoring series. The Angels were down 3 games to 2. In Game 6, they were losing 5–0 and were close to being eliminated. But they made an incredible comeback, scoring 3 runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to win 6–5! The Angels then won Game 7, 4–1, to win their first and only World Series Championship!

Third baseman Troy Glaus was named the Series MVP. Rookie pitcher Francisco Rodríguez won a record five playoff games. Pitcher John Lackey became the first rookie pitcher in 93 years to win the seventh game of the World Series.

The Angels also became famous for their "Rally Monkey." This started as a joke where a video of a monkey jumping was shown on the stadium screen when the Angels needed a comeback. It became a symbol of their never-give-up attitude.

In 2003, Disney sold the Angels to a group led by Arturo "Arte" Moreno. Moreno became the first Hispanic owner of a major American sports team. In December 2003, the stadium was renamed Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

In 2005, the Angels became the first team in the American League to win their division. They beat the New York Yankees in the playoffs but lost to the Chicago White Sox in the American League Championship Series. Pitcher Bartolo Colón won the A.L. Cy Young Award that year.

The Angels continued to be strong contenders. In 2007, they won the American League West Division title again. In 2008, they set a franchise record with 100 wins! They won their division for the second year in a row. However, they lost in the playoffs to the Boston Red Sox both years.

In 2009, the Angels faced many injuries to their pitchers. Sadly, young pitcher Nick Adenhart and two friends were killed in a car crash. This was a huge shock to the team. The Angels still managed to win the AL West Division title for the third straight year. They finally beat the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs but then lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

The Mike Trout Era (2010–2019)

The 2010s saw the rise of one of baseball's greatest players, Mike Trout. In 2012, the Angels signed superstar Albert Pujols. That same year, Mike Trout won the American League Rookie of the Year award. Pitcher Jered Weaver also threw a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins.

In 2014, the Angels won the American League West division title again. Mike Trout won the American League MVP Award. However, the team lost in the playoffs to the Kansas City Royals.

The Angels had some tough seasons after that. In 2017, they signed Shohei Ohtani, a unique player who could both pitch and hit very well. In 2018, Ohtani made his MLB debut and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. After 19 years, manager Mike Scioscia left the team. He had led the Angels to six division titles and their World Series championship.

In 2019, the Angels had another difficult season. Sadly, pitcher Tyler Skaggs died on July 1. The team honored him by wearing his number, 45, and later threw a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners. Mike Trout won his third MVP Award that year, showing he was still one of the best players in baseball.

The Trout and Ohtani Era (2020–2023)

Joe Maddon became the Angels' new manager in 2020. In 2021, Mike Trout missed most of the season due to injury. But Shohei Ohtani had an incredible year! He hit 46 home runs and won nine games as a pitcher. He was unanimously voted the AL MVP, showing how special he was as a two-way player.

The Angels started well in 2022 but then had a long losing streak. Joe Maddon was replaced by Phil Nevin as manager. The team finished with a losing record.

In 2023, the Angels hoped to make the playoffs. Shohei Ohtani continued to have an amazing season, performing like a legendary player. However, the team again finished with a losing record. At the end of the year, Phil Nevin was replaced by Ron Washington as manager. Soon after, Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving the Angels.

Images for kids

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  Edison International Field in 2003