Page 334 - 2020 Angels Media Guide

START OF A FRANCHISE

In the winter of 1960, Gene Autry attended the American League expansion meeting in St. Louis seeking radio rights
for his Golden West Broadcasting firm. On Dec. 6, 1960 he returned as Owner and Chairman of the Board of the
expansion Los Angeles Angels .
Following is a chronological look at the beginning of the Los Angeles Angels:
1960
Dec. 6 — At St. Louis, MO, the expansion Los Angeles Angels is awarded to Gene Autry, Robert O. Reynolds, Paul
A. O’Bryan and associates.
Dec. 8 — Fred Haney is named General Manager .
Dec. 12 — Bill Rigney is named Field Manager .
Dec. 14 — Haney and Rigney selected 28 players from the American League player pool at a meeting in Boston…
Total cost: $2,150,000 including two minor league draft picks…First player drafted is pitcher Eli Grba.
Dec. 16 — Palm Springs, CA announced as Spring Training site.
1961
Jan. 14 — Leonard K. Firestone becomes part owner and Vice President of the Angels.
Jan. 24 — Angels announce signing of first two players - outfielders Bob Cerv and Albie Pearson.
Feb. 6 — Angels hold first public tryout camp at Sawtelle Hospital…Over 300 prospects attend tryout…Six players
are signed .
Feb. 24 — Angels open spring training camp in Palm Springs .
Mar. 11 — Angels defeat Chicago Cubs in first exhibition game, 8-3, before an overflow crowd at the Polo Grounds
in Palm Springs…Club also wins second game on Mar. 12, 12-5.
Apr. 11 — Behind the strong pitching of Eli Grba and power of Ted Kluszewski, the Angels rolled to a 7-2 victory
in their first American League regular season game. Grba went the distance, allowing one earned run
on six hits. Kluszewski hit a pair of home runs and collected five RBI. The Angels scored all seven runs
in the first two frames, three in the first inning on back-to-back home runs by Kluszewski and Bob Cerv.
The Angels finished the 1961 season with a 70-91 record. The club’s .435 winning percentage established and still
stands as the best of any expansion team in Major League history.
The Angels played at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles in 1961, then moved to Chavez Ravine (now Dodger Stadium) in 1962
and remained there through the 1965 season. In 1966, the franchise moved south to Anaheim and played 32 seasons
at Anaheim Stadium. The club opened the 1997 season as the Anaheim Angels and began play at Edison Field in 1998.
Prior to the 2004 season the stadium name was changed to Angel Stadium of Anaheim. On Jan. 3, 2005 the official
name of the franchise was changed to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Angels Original Player Draft
The Angels drafted a total of 28 players from the existing American League clubs on Dec. 14, 1960. Owners of the
new Los Angeles and Washington clubs as well as their recently appointed front offices and field bosses — General
Manager Fred Haney and Manager Bill Rigney of the Angels and General Manager Ed Doherty and Manager Mickey
Vernon of the Senators — attended the session held in the league offices.
A price of $75,000 was set on the players to be picked and both of the new clubs were required to select 28. The
players were picked by categories, starting with pitchers, then catchers, infielders and outfielders. A toss of the coin
determined which club had first choice in each group, and then they alternated. Haney won the toss for three positions
— all but for outfielders. Besides the 28 regular selections by both clubs, Los Angeles bought two players from the
special minor league pool at $25,000 apiece and Washington grabbed three. Thus, the Angels paid $2,150,000 for their
30 players and the Senators shelled out $2,175,000 for their 31 players in the unprecedented distribution.
Following is the order in which the Angels players were selected:
NOTE: Following the selections, Wilson notified the Angels and Cleveland that he intended to retire from the game.
As a result, his selection was canceled several weeks later and the Indians sent pitcher Ted Bowsfield to the Angels
as a replacement .
1. Eli Grba, p, NY 17. Jim Fregosi, inf, BOS
2 . Jerry Casale, p, BOS 18. Bob Cerv, of, NY
3. Duke Maas, p, NY 19. Ken Hunt, of, NY
club history
4. Tex Clevenger, p, MIN 20. Jim McAnany, of, CHI
5. Bob Sprout, p, DET 21. Earl Averill, c, CHI
6. Audrey Gatewood, p, DET 22. Faye Throneberry, of, MIN
7. Ken McBride, p, CHI 23. Ted Kluszewski, inf, CHI
8. Ned Garver, p, KC 24. Don Ross, inf, BAL
9 . Ron Moeller, p, BAL 25. Julio Becquer, inf, MIN
10. Bob Davis, p, KC 26 . Dean Chance, p, BAL
11 . Ed Sadowski, c, BOS 27 . Fred Newman, p, BOS
12. Bob Rodgers, c, DET 28. Bob Wilson, c, CLE
13. Ed Yost, inf, DET 29. Steve Bilko, 1b, DET from
14. Ken Aspromonte, inf, CLE Denver
15. Ken Hamlin, inf, KC 30. Albie Pearson, of, BAL from
16. Gene Leek, inf, CLE Rochester

333 2020 ANGELS MEDIA GUIDE