History of Los Angeles Angels in Timeline

The Los Angeles Angels are a professional baseball team located in Anaheim, California, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As a member of the American League (AL) West Division, they compete in Major League Baseball (MLB). Angel Stadium has been their home field since 1966.

1903: Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League

In 1903, the team name continued through the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.

1961: KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights

From 1961 to 1963, KCAL-TV, under the name of KHJ-TV, held Angels broadcast rights.

1961: Games aired on KMPC

In 1961, Angels games began airing on KMPC, which was owned by Gene Autry.

1961: Franchise founded in Los Angeles

In 1961, Gene Autry founded the Los Angeles Angels as one of MLB's first two expansion teams, originating in California, deriving its name from an earlier Los Angeles Angels franchise that played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL).

1961: Expansion team established

In 1961, the Los Angeles Angels were one of two expansion teams established as a result of the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion, along with the second incarnation of the Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers).

1961: Original team colors

In 1961, the original team colors of the Los Angeles Angels were predominantly blue with a red trim.

May 5, 1962: Bo Belinsky pitches first no-hitter at Dodger Stadium

On May 5, 1962, Angels pitcher Bo Belinsky pitched the first no-hitter in Dodger Stadium history in a game against the Baltimore Orioles.

1962: Move to Dodger Stadium

In 1962, the Los Angeles Angels moved to newly built Dodger Stadium, which the Angels referred to as Chavez Ravine, where they were tenants of the Dodgers.

1963: KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights

From 1961 to 1963, KCAL-TV, under the name of KHJ-TV, held Angels broadcast rights.

1964: KTLA carries Angels games

From 1964 to 1995, KTLA carried Angels games, as both entities were owned by Gene Autry.

September 2, 1965: Name change to California Angels

On September 2, 1965, the Los Angeles Angels changed their name to California Angels, with a month still left in the season.

1965: California Angels name

From 1965 to 1996, the franchise was known as the California Angels.

1965: "The Big A" nickname coined

In 1965, Bud Furillo of the Herald Examiner coined the nickname "the Big A" for the Angels' stadium, referring to the tall letter A that served as the ballpark's primary scoreboard.

1965: End of Angels' tenancy at Dodger Stadium

In 1965, the Los Angeles Angels' time playing their home games at Dodger Stadium came to an end.

1965: Tenants of the Dodgers

Through 1965, the Los Angeles Angels were tenants of the Dodgers at newly built Dodger Stadium.

1966: Move to Anaheim Stadium

In 1966, the California Angels moved to the newly constructed Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim.

1966: Home games at Angel Stadium

Since 1966, the Los Angeles Angels have played their home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

1968: Athletics relocation to California

In 1968, the Athletics relocated to California.

1969: Dick Enberg served as the Angels play-by-play announcer

From 1969 to 1978, Dick Enberg served as the Angels play-by-play announcer for KTLA.

1969: Athletics Join AL West

In 1969, the Athletics became part of the AL West, solidifying a rivalry with the Los Angeles Angels.

1970: Sleeve patch added to uniforms

In 1970, the California Angels added a sleeve patch to their uniform depicting a gold halo atop the California outline, along with a gold star indicating Anaheim's location.

1971: Logo with California outline adopted

In 1971, the Angels adopted a logo featuring the word "Angels" on an outline of the State of California.

1972: "Big A" cap logo introduced

For the 1972 season, the California Angels changed their cap logo to "the Big A".

1972: Nolan Ryan joins the Angels

In 1972, Nolan Ryan joined the California Angels and threw four of his seven no-hitters with the team during his tenure which lasted until 1979.

1978: Dick Enberg served as the Angels play-by-play announcer

From 1969 to 1978, Dick Enberg served as the Angels play-by-play announcer for KTLA.

1979: Numbers changed to block design

By 1979, the numbers on the California Angels' uniforms were changed to a more basic block design.

1979: Rod Carew joins the Angels

In 1979, Rod Carew joined the California Angels, remaining until 1985, and collected his 3,000th hit with the team.

1980: "The Big A" scoreboard relocated

In 1980, "the Big A" scoreboard was relocated to a section of the parking lot southeast of the stadium when the facility was enclosed and expanded.

1982: Angels one game away from World Series

In 1982, the California Angels came within one game of reaching the World Series.

1984: Mike Witt pitches perfect game against Rangers

In 1984, Mike Witt pitched a perfect game for the Angels against the Texas Rangers at Arlington Stadium.

1985: Rod Carew leaves the Angels

In 1979, Rod Carew joined the California Angels, remaining until 1985, and collected his 3,000th hit with the team.

1985: End of "Angels" on California outline logo usage

In 1985, the California Angels stopped using the logo that featured the word "Angels" written on an outline of the State of California.

1986: "Big A" in front of baseball adopted as new logo

In 1986, the California Angels adopted the "big A" in front of a baseball as their new logo, with the shadow of California in the background.

1986: Angels one game away from World Series

In 1986, the California Angels came within one game of reaching the World Series.

1988: Angels establish a team Hall of Fame

In 1988, the Angels established a team Hall of Fame.

1989: Return to wearing buttons

In 1989, the California Angels reverted to wearing buttons with their uniforms.

1992: End of "big A" logo era

In 1992, the California Angels discontinued the use of the "big A" logo.

1993: Re-adoption of interlocking "CA" logo

In 1993, the California Angels re-adopted the interlocking "CA" logo, which was used until 1996.

1993: Angels affiliate with Prime Ticket

In the 1993 season, the Angels became affiliated with Prime Ticket, which later became FanDuel Sports Network West (FDSNW).

1994: Kenny Rogers pitches perfect game against Angels

In 1994, Kenny Rogers pitched a perfect game for the Texas Rangers against the Angels.

1995: KTLA carries Angels games

From 1964 to 1995, KTLA carried Angels games, as both entities were owned by Gene Autry.

1995: Mariners overcome 13-game deficit

In 1995, the Angels held a season-high 13-game division lead over the Mariners on August 2, but by September 26, Seattle had taken over the division lead by three games.

1995: Introduction of blue alternate uniform

In 1995, the California Angels introduced a blue alternate uniform with white piping, featuring the "CA" on the left chest and the team name on the left sleeve.

1996: California Angels name

From 1965 to 1996, the franchise was known as the California Angels.

1996: KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights again

From 1996 to 2005, KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights for a second time.

1996: End of games airing on KMPC

In 1996, Angels games stopped airing on KMPC.

1996: End of interlocking CA logo usage

In 1996, the California Angels stopped using the interlocking CA logo.

1996: Original team colors

The original team colors of the Los Angeles Angels which were predominantly blue with a red trim, lasted from 1961 to 1996.

1997: Anaheim Angels name

From 1997 to 2004, the franchise was known as the Anaheim Angels.

1997: Introduction of "winged" logo

In 1997, Disney introduced the "winged" logo for the Anaheim Angels.

1997: The Walt Disney Company takes control

In 1997, The Walt Disney Company took control of the team and extensively renovated Anaheim Stadium, which was then renamed Edison International Field of Anaheim.

1997: Games aired on KRLA

In 1997, the flagship radio station for the Angels was KRLA (1110 AM).

1997: First regular-season game against Dodgers

With the introduction of interleague play in the 1997 season, the Angels and Dodgers played each other in the regular season for the first time with a two-game series beginning on June 17 at Dodger Stadium.

1998: ESPN West plan fell through

In 1998, the ESPN West plan, which would've been a rival cable channel, fell through.

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1998: Games aired on KRLA

In 1998, the flagship radio station for the Angels was KRLA (1110 AM).

June 1999: Bench-clearing brawl against Dodgers

In June 1999, a bench-clearing brawl occurred during a series between the Angels and Dodgers when Angels pitcher Tim Belcher tagged out Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park after his at-bat, leading to an exchange of words followed by Park punching and kicking Belcher. Park was ejected and suspended for seven games.

1999: Games aired on KLAC

In 1999, the flagship radio station for the Angels was replaced by KLAC (570 AM).

2000: Rally Monkey born

The Rally Monkey was born in 2000 when the scoreboard showed a clip from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, after which the Angels rallied to win the game.

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2001: Mariners boast 116 win season

In 2001 the Seattle Mariners boasted a 116 win team.

2001: Change back to "Big A" logo

In 2001, Disney changed the Anaheim Angels' logo back to a "Big A" with a silver halo over a dark blue baseball diamond.

September 26, 2002: Angels clinch first playoff spot

On September 26, 2002, the Anaheim Angels clinched their first playoff spot in 16 years. It was also reported that Disney hired Lehman Brothers to sell the team.

2002: Angels win World Series

By the time the Angels won their first World Series in 2002, Autry had been dead for four years. After winning the World Series, Angels player Tim Salmon ran into the home dugout and brought out one of Autry's signature white Stetson hats in honor of the "singing cowboy."

2002: Athletics' 20-game win streak and Angels' World Series victory

During the 2002 season, the Oakland Athletics' Moneyball tactics led them to a league record 20 game win streak, knocking the Angels out of 1st place. Despite the 103 win season for Oakland; they would fall in a shocking upset to the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS. The Angels managed to win the World Series.

2002: Rally Monkey in the 2002 World Series

During the Angels' appearance in the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, the Rally Monkey came to national and worldwide attention. In Game 6 of the series, the Angels were down 5–0, but proceeded to score six unanswered runs over the next two innings, winning the game and turning the momentum of the series for good.

2002: Members of the 2002 team inducted into Hall of Fame

In 2002, members of the 2002 team were inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame.

2002: Terry Smith providing play-by-play commentary

Since 2002, Terry Smith has been providing play-by-play commentary for Angels games.

2002: Attendance exceeds 2 million

Since 2002, the Angels have drawn at least 2 million fans per year to the stadium.

2003: Attendance exceeds 3 million

From 2003 to 2019, the Angels drew more than 3 million fans per year to the stadium.

2003: Angels returned to KSPN

In 2003, the Angels returned to KSPN.

2004: Angels defeat Athletics to clinch division title

During the 2004 season, both teams came down to the wire: tied for wins headed into the final week of September with the last three games being played in Oakland against the Angels. Oakland fell in 2 crushing losses to the Angels with only one victory in the series coming in the final game. Oakland would find themselves eliminated from the playoff hunt.

2004: Anaheim Angels name

From 1997 to 2004, the franchise was known as the Anaheim Angels.

2004: Angels reach the postseason

From 2004 to 2009, the Angels reached the postseason five times, sparking a renewal of the Rally Monkey's popularity.

2005: KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights

From 1996 to 2005, KCAL-TV held Angels broadcast rights for a second time.

2005: "Los Angeles" added back to the name

In 2005, "Los Angeles" was added back to the team name, resulting in the name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

2005: Name change to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim"

In 2005, when the team's name changed to the "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim", the logo was slightly altered to remove "ANAHEIM ANGELS" and the blue baseball diamond, leaving only the "Big A."

2007: Mark Gubicza becomes color commentator

In 2007, Mark Gubicza began serving as the color commentator for Angels games on Angels Broadcast Television (ABTV).

2007: Release of red alternate uniform

In 2007, a red alternate uniform was released, incorporating red letters throughout.

2007: End of partnership with KSPN

In 2007, the Angels' partnership with KSPN ended.

2009: Angels reach the postseason

From 2004 to 2009, the Angels reached the postseason five times, sparking a renewal of the Rally Monkey's popularity.

2009: Lawsuit dropped

In 2009, the City of Anaheim dropped its lawsuit regarding the team's name change.

2009: Voted number one franchise in professional sports

In 2009, the Los Angeles Angels were voted as the number one franchise in professional sports in Fan Value by ESPN magazine.

2010: Victor Rojas becomes play-by-play announcer

From 2010 to 2020, Victor Rojas was the play-by-play announcer for the Angels.

2010: New sleeve patch added

In 2010, a new sleeve patch was added, styled similarly to the 1986–1992 "baseball A" logo but with a red border incorporating "Angels Baseball" and the foundation year inside.

2010: Game average of 40,000 fans

In 2010, despite not making the playoffs, the Angels had a game average of 40,000 fans at each game.

2011: 50th anniversary logo and uniform change

For the 2011 season, as part of the 50th anniversary of the Angels franchise, the halo on the 'Big A' logo temporarily changed colors from silver to old gold, and the uniforms reflected this change with the addition of the gold halo on the right sleeve.

2011: Game average of 40,000 fans

In 2011, despite not making the playoffs, the Angels had a game average of 40,000 fans at each game.

2012: Wilson and Napoli exchange words over Twitter joke

In 2012, C.J. Wilson played a joke on Mike Napoli, his former teammate, by tweeting his phone number, causing Napoli to exchange words with Wilson.

2012: Ranked fifteenth in the best sports franchises

In 2012, ESPN & Fan polls ranked the Los Angeles Angels fifteenth in the best sports franchises, third best among MLB teams.

2012: New patch added on uniforms

In 2012, a new patch was added on the uniforms, similar to the 2010 left sleeve patch minus the baseball behind the "A."

2012: Game average of 40,000 fans

In 2012, despite not making the playoffs, the Angels had a game average of 40,000 fans at each game.

2012: Mark Langston providing color commentary

Since 2012, Mark Langston has been providing color commentary for Angels games.

2012: Signing of Albert Pujols and emergence of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani

Since 2012, the Angels gained international attention with the signing of Albert Pujols and the emergence of superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

2013: Game average of 40,000 fans

In 2013, despite not making the playoffs, the Angels had a game average of 40,000 fans at each game.

2013: Astros Join AL West

In 2013, the Houston Astros joined the AL West, becoming a division rival of the Los Angeles Angels.

2013: Plan to drop Anaheim from name

In 2013, the Los Angeles Angels officially planned to drop "of Anaheim" from its name and restore its original name Los Angeles Angels, as part of a new Angel Stadium lease negotiated with the Anaheim city government.

2014: Playoff drought begins

As of the current date, the Angels have not appeared in the postseason since 2014, marking the longest active playoff drought of any MLB team.

2015: Guinness World Records for fan gatherings

As of 2015, the Los Angeles Angels fans have set six Guinness World Records for the largest gatherings of people wearing blankets, wrestling masks, cowboy hats, wigs, Santa hats, superhero capes, and sombreros. They have also set the world record for largest gathering of people with selfie sticks.

2015: Dick Enberg won the Ford C. Frick Award

In 2015, Dick Enberg won the Ford C. Frick Award for his work with the Angels.

2015: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name

Until 2015, the franchise was known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

2018: Vladimir Guerrero inducted into Hall of Fame

In 2018, Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Hall of Fame wearing an Angels cap insignia.

December 20, 2019: City of Anaheim voted to sell Angel Stadium

On December 20, 2019, the city of Anaheim voted to sell Angel Stadium and the land around it to a group led by Arte Moreno for $325 million.

2019: Attendance exceeds 3 million

From 2003 to 2019, the Angels drew more than 3 million fans per year to the stadium. In 2019, the Angels were fifth in MLB in attendance, with a total of 3,019,012 people.

2020: Official sources omit "of Anaheim" suffix

As of 2020, most official sources omit the "of Anaheim" suffix from the team's name.

2020: Victor Rojas leaves his role as play-by-play announcer

From 2010 to 2020, Victor Rojas was the play-by-play announcer for the Angels.

May 24, 2022: Mayor Sidhu resigned

On May 24, 2022, Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu resigned due to bribery and corruption allegations.

2022: City Connect uniform unveiled

In 2022, the Angels unveiled a City Connect uniform, featuring a sand base, a script "Angels" wordmark, dark blue numbers with a red diamond outline, a roundel sleeve patch, red stripes on the left sleeve, and a red cap with a sand front panel. This design was inspired by Southern California's surfing culture.

December 9, 2023: Shohei Ohtani signs with Dodgers

On December 9, 2023, Angels star pitcher and hitter Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in free agency, signing what was the largest contract in professional sports history until a year later.