History of Los Angeles Angels in Timeline

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

1903: Team Name Continued Through the 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: KHJ-TV Broadcast Rights

From 1961 to 1963, KHJ-TV (later KCAL-TV) held Angels broadcast rights.

1961: Franchise Founded

In 1961, Gene Autry founded the Los Angeles Angels franchise in Los Angeles as one of MLB's first two expansion teams.

1961: KMPC Airs Games

In 1961, KMPC, owned by Gene Autry, aired Angels games for the first time.

1961: Expansion Franchise Status

In 1961, The Angels were one of two expansion teams established as a result of the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion.

1961: MLB Franchise Established

In 1961, the current Angels franchise was established by MLB after Gene Autry bought the rights to the franchise name.

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's No-Hitter

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 Angels moved to newly built Dodger Stadium, referred to as Chavez Ravine.

1963: End of KHJ-TV Broadcasts

From 1961 to 1963, KHJ-TV held Angels broadcast rights and it ended in 1963.

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 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 stadium, referring to the tall letter A that served as the ballpark's primary scoreboard.

1965: End of Dodger Stadium Home Games

In 1965, the Angels concluded their period of playing home games at Dodger Stadium.

1965: Name Change to California Angels

In 1965, the franchise was renamed the California Angels.

1965: Tenants of the Dodgers

Through 1965, the Angels were tenants of the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

1966: Move to Anaheim Stadium

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

1966: Logo Changed

In 1966, with the move to Anaheim, the California Angels changed their logo, maintaining the existing color scheme.

1969: Dick Enberg Joins KTLA

In 1969, Dick Enberg became the Angels play-by-play announcer for KTLA.

1969: Move to AL West

Since their relocation to California and to the AL West in 1969, the Angels have held a steady rivalry with the Athletics.

1971: New Logo Adopted

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

1972: Lowercase 'A' on Logo

From 1971-1972, the California Angels logo featured a lowercase 'A' in the word 'Angels'. In 1972 the logo still featured the lowercase 'A'.

1973: Uppercase 'A' on Logo

In 1973, the California Angels logo changed from a lowercase 'a' to an uppercase 'A' in the word "Angels" on the logo, and continued through 1985.

1978: Dick Enberg Leaves KTLA

In 1978, Dick Enberg ended his tenure as the Angels play-by-play announcer for KTLA.

1980: "Big A" Relocation

In 1980, the "Big A", which was originally the ballpark's primary scoreboard, was relocated to a section of the parking lot southeast of the stadium.

1984: Mike Witt pitches a perfect game

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

1985: End of Logo Era

In 1985, the California Angels concluded the era of their logo that featured the word "Angels" written on an outline of the State of California.

1986: New Logo: "Big A" on Baseball

In 1986, the Angels introduced a new logo featuring the "big A" on top of a baseball with the shadow of California in the background.

1988: Team Hall of Fame Established

In 1988, the Angels established a team Hall of Fame to honor key figures in the franchise's history.

1992: "Big A" Logo Discontinued

In 1992, the Angels discontinued the "big A" logo.

1993: Interlocking "CA" Logo Re-adopted

In 1993, the Angels returned to their roots and re-adopted the interlocking "CA" logo.

1993: Angels Affiliated with Prime Ticket

Since the 1993 season the Angels have been affiliated with BSW when the network was originally known as Prime Ticket.

1994: Kenny Rogers Pitches a Perfect Game

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

1995: End of KTLA Broadcasts

In 1995, KTLA ended its run of carrying Angels games.

1996: Original Team Colors

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

1996: KCAL-TV Holds Broadcast Rights Again

In 1996, KCAL-TV (formerly KHJ-TV) again held Angels broadcast rights.

1996: End of KMPC Broadcasts

In 1996, KMPC concluded its run as the flagship radio station for Angels games.

1996: End of the Interlocking "CA" Logo Era

In 1996, the Angels concluded the use of the interlocking "CA" logo.

1996: California Angels Name

In 1996, the team was still known as the California Angels.

1997: KRLA Becomes Flagship Station

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

1997: Disney Takes Control

In 1997, The Walt Disney Company took control of the team.

1997: Name, Logo, and Color Scheme Change

In 1997, after the renovations of then-Anaheim Stadium and the takeover by the Walt Disney Company, the team changed their name to the "Anaheim Angels" and introduced a new logo and color scheme with a winged "A" logo.

1997: Name Change to Anaheim Angels

In 1997, the franchise was renamed the Anaheim Angels.

1997: Interleague Play Begins

In 1997, with the introduction of interleague play, 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: KRLA Airs Games

In 1998, KRLA (1110 AM) aired Angels games as the flagship radio station.

1998: ESPN West Plan Falls Through

In 1998, the plan to establish a rival cable channel called "ESPN West" fell through.

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June 1999: Bench-Clearing Brawl

During a June 1999 series between the Angels and Dodgers, a bench-clearing brawl occurred after Angels pitcher Tim Belcher tagged out Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park, leading to a physical altercation and Park's ejection and suspension.

1999: KLAC Becomes Flagship Station

In 1999, KLAC (570 AM) replaced KRLA as the flagship radio station for Angels games.

2000: Rally Monkey Born

In 2000, the Rally Monkey was born when a clip from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was shown on the scoreboard, and the Angels rallied to win the game.

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2001: Logo Changed to "Big A"

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: First Playoff Spot in 16 Years

On September 26, 2002, the Angels clinched their first playoff spot in 16 years, and Disney hired Lehman Brothers to prepare for selling the team.

2002: Rally Monkey Fame During World Series

During the 2002 World Series, specifically Game 6, the Rally Monkey gained national and worldwide attention. The Los Angeles Angels came back to win against the San Francisco Giants.

2002: Moneyball Season

During the 2002 season; both the Angels and the A's were proving to be contenders as the A's famous Moneyball tactics led them to a league record 20 game winstreak. The Angels managed to pull off an underdog victory over both the New York Yankees and the Twins, and went all the way to the franchise's first and only World Series victory.

2002: World Series Win and Tribute to Gene Autry

In 2002, after winning the World Series, Angels player Tim Salmon honored the late Gene Autry by bringing out his signature white Stetson hat.

2002: Wild Card and World Series Victory

In 2002, the Angels won their first Wild Card spot and subsequently won the 2002 World Series, their only championship to date.

2002: Championship Season on KLAC

In 2002, the Angels' championship season was broadcast on KLAC (570 AM).

2002: Attendance Record

Since 2002, the Los Angeles Angels drew at least 2 million fans per year to the stadium.

2002: Induction of 2002 Team

The Angels inducted members of the 2002 World Series-winning team into their Hall of Fame

2003: Attendance Record

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

2003: Angels Return to KSPN

In 2003, the Angels returned to KSPN as their flagship radio station.

2004: Angels-Athletics Battle for Division Title

During the 2004 season, both the Angels and Athletics 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, where the Angels would eventually win the series.

2004: Postseason Run and Rally Monkey Revival

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

2004: Anaheim Angels Name

In 2004, the team was still known as the Anaheim Angels.

2005: End of KCAL-TV Broadcasts

In 2005, KCAL-TV concluded its second run of holding Angels broadcast rights.

2005: Name Change to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

In 2005, Los Angeles was added back to the name, and the franchise became known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

2005: Addition of "Los Angeles" to Team Name

In 2005, new owner Arte Moreno added "Los Angeles" to the team's name, resulting in the name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

2007: Mark Gubicza Joins Broadcast Team

In 2007, Mark Gubicza started serving as the color commentator for Angels television broadcasts.

2007: End of KSPN Partnership

In 2007, the Angels concluded their partnership with KSPN as their flagship radio station.

2009: Postseason Run and Rally Monkey Revival

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: Ranked Number One in Fan Value

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 Joins

In 2010, Victor Rojas began his tenure as a play-by-play announcer for the Angels

2010: Game Average in 2010

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

2011: 50th Anniversary Logo Change

In 2011, 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.

2011: Game Average in 2011

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

2012: New Uniform Patch Added

Before the 2012 season, the Angels added a new patch on the uniforms featuring a red circle encircling the words "Angels Baseball" and the club logo, flanking the year 1961.

2012: Player Feud

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 Best Sports Franchises

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

2012: Mark Langston Joins Broadcast Team

In 2012, Mark Langston began providing color commentary for Angels radio broadcasts.

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

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

2012: Game Average in 2012

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

2013: Astros Join AL West

In 2013, the Houston Astros joined the AL West, adding them to the list of teams with whom the Angels have rivalries.

2013: Game Average in 2013

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

2013: Plan to Restore Original Name

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

2014: Last Postseason Appearance

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

2015: Guinness World Records

As of 2015, the Los Angeles Angels fans had 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 also set the world record for largest gathering of people with selfie sticks.

2015: Dick Enberg Wins Ford C. Frick Award

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

2015: Name Change to Los Angeles Angels

In 2015, the team officially became the Los Angeles Angels.

2018: Vladimir Guerrero Inducted

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

December 20, 2019: Anaheim Voted to Sell Angel Stadium

On December 20, 2019, the city of Anaheim voted to sell Angel Stadium and the surrounding land to a group led by team owner Arte Moreno for $325 million, including plans for a new or refurbished stadium.

2019: Attendance Record

From 2003 to 2019, the Los Angeles 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: Omission of "of Anaheim" Suffix

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

2020: Victor Rojas leaves

In 2020, Victor Rojas ended his tenure as a 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 related to the Angel Stadium deal.

December 9, 2023: Shohei Ohtani Signs with the Dodgers

On December 9, 2023, Angels star pitcher and hitter Shohei Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in free agency, marking a significant departure from the team.