Anaheim Angels (1961-2002) Quiz: 1) Single season RBI
leader? 2) Prior to Nolan Ryan’s arrival, what two Anaheim
pitchers threw no-hitters? 3) Who are the only 3 players to have
their uniform # retired? 4) Who is the only Angel to win a
batting title? 5) Who is the all-time leader in wins? Answers
below.
Angels Mania
So an old friend and neighbor of mine, Steve G., wrote the other
day pleading (begging) that I write something acknowledging the
greatness of the Anaheim Angels. Well, by now we all know
that they opened the 2002 season 6-14 and still won the Series,
and with a far smaller payroll than many of their competitors.
But I thought we’d go back to the days of 1961 and 1962, the
then Los Angeles Angels’ first two seasons. The manager was
Bill Rigney (Casey Stengel was owner Gene Autry’s first choice)
and with little time before the expansion draft, Rigney and his
staff shrewdly picked off young ballplayers such as Jim Fregosi,
Dean Chance and Buck Rodgers.
Among the more established players the Angels selected reliever
Ryne Duren from the Yankees. Duren, he of the Coke bottle-
thick glasses and the 95-mph fastball, terrorized hitters, mainly
because he himself had no idea where his pitches were going.
Aside from a fastball, Duren also had a nasty splitter. Actually,
it was his “soapball,” which he manufactured by rubbing Ivory
flakes on his uniform trousers.
Rigney set a relaxed tone that first spring training, allowing
former President Dwight Eisenhower to manage the middle
innings of a game (Ike had just been replaced by JFK), for
example, and his players soon developed quite a reputation for
hell-raising. Unfortunately, Rigney was soon suffering from an
ulcer, as his team tested his patience more than once.
Like the time there was a fire in the hotel at 4:00 AM. As
Rigney and the other guests stood outside in various stages of
undress, the manager spotted pitchers Art Fowler and Duren,
who were standing on the sidewalk, all spiffed out in suits and
ties. Said Fowler, “Well, skip, I bet you don’t know whether
we’re just getting up or just coming in.” “No, and I don’t want
to know,” replied Rigney.
These were the days when players and sportswriters often played
together. Said one scribe, “The writers protected the players, and
the players protected the writers.”
But despite all the after-hours shenanigans, the Angels posted a
70-91 mark their initial season, still a record for an expansion
team, and they improved on that in 1962.
In November 1961, the Angels drafted pitcher Bo Belinsky. I’ve
written about him in the past (check the archives), but Belinsky
was the street kid from Trenton, NJ who was known for being
both a poolshark and a man about town. He had pitched in the
minors for 6 seasons with limited success, but as a lefty the
Angels were prepared to take a chance on him, so they offered
the minimum $6,000 contract.
Well, Bo being Bo, he opted to hold out for $8,500. When
contacted back in Trenton that winter by a Los Angeles reporter,
Belinsky said he’d shoot some pool and spend his evenings with
“a lot of broads.” Finally, he showed up at training camp and
promptly boasted he would charm every Hollywood starlet.
Of course many of you know that he tossed a no-hitter in just his
4th start, thereby cementing his legend. Reporter Walter
Winchell then helped Belinsky’s image further by setting him up
with beauties ranging from Tina Louise to Connie Stevens, Ann-
Margret to Mamie Van Doren, only to then write about Bo’s
exploits, with Belinsky only too happy to oblige. His new
Hollywood friends even gave him a penthouse near the Strip.
But after his super 5-0 start, he finished the ’62 season with a 10-
11 record, on the way to a 28-51 lifetime mark, his career cut
short by booze and arm problems.
The ’62 Angels, though, hung in there spectacularly well
considering it was just their second season. They were in first
place on the Fourth of July (reminder, this was the day of 10-
team leagues), and just 3 ½ back on September 12 before losing
12 of their last 16 to finish in 3rd, 86-76, ten games behind the
Yankees. The Angels may have pulled it off, except key pitchers
Fowler and Ken McBride were hurt in August, both out for the
remainder of the season.
All the while this Angels squad partied hard, yet most of them
still had career years. And here’s a rarity, 1B/OF Lee Thomas,
2B Bill Moran, OF Albie Pearson, and OF Leon Wagner all
played in 160 of the 162 games, while catcher Buck Rodgers
played in 155. I’d be surprised if you could find a better record
for durability in the history of the game. [Oops, just glanced at
some of the 1915-era clubs…you can. But not in a 162-game
schedule, I tell ya!]
[Source: Ron Fimrite / Sports Illustrated…a 1993 article I found
in my giant pile of stuff the other day.]
1961 Los Angeles Angels Opening Day Lineup
Eddie Yost, 3B
Ken Aspromonte, 2B
Albie Pearson, RF .288, 7 HR 41 RBI
Ted Kluszewski, 1B 15-39
Bob Cerv, LF
Ken Hunt, CF .255, 25-84…then he was drafted into the military
Fritzie Brickell, SS…all of 6 for 49, .122
Del Rice, C
Eli Grba, P…28-33 for his career.
[But on the bench were those who would step forward as
regulars, including Leon Wagner, 28-79, Earl Averill, 21-59, Lee
Thomas, 24-70.]
The Angels beat Baltimore 7-2 in their very first game.
[The Los Angeles Angels became the California Angels when
they moved to Anaheim in 1965.]
Baseball Bits
–As a follow-up to my mention last time about how few pitches
today’s starters throw, usually no more than 120, you also have
the issue of innings pitched. These days, if you take away Randy
Johnson and Curt Schilling, the league leader normally throws no
more than 240 innings in a season, with few over 220. [Johnson
and Schilling have been around 260 the past few years.]
But think about 1884, when Hoss Radbourn was pitching for
Providence of the National League. Providence went 84-28 that
year and Radbourn himself was 59-12. In other words, he was
basically the sole starter. Hoss ended up throwing 73 complete
games, 678 innings!
Or as recent as 1908, when spitballer Ed Walsh finished 40-15
for the Chicago White Sox, completing 42 of his 49 starts while
tossing 464 innings. Plus he walked only 56 and had a 1.42
ERA.
I’m tellin’ ya, if they ever figure out this time capsule stuff
(they’re working on it, aren’t they?), the first thing I want to do is
see an old-time baseball game.
–The Yankees’ Derek Jeter is lucky he’s alive. When you watch
the replay of his horrible collision the other night, you realize
just how close he was to getting slammed in the temple.
Playboy
2003 represents the 50th anniversary of this men’s magazine best
known for its sterling literature and incisive interviews………..
……………………………………….just waiting for a reaction.
Well, here at Bar Chat we can’t let this go without comment
now, can we? In 1989, as part of the 35th anniversary issue,
publisher and founder Hugh Hefner wrote:
“The first issue of Playboy was undated, because I wasn’t sure
there’d be a second…
“Other magazines have shaped politics, dictated fashion,
legitimized gossip. Playboy freed a generation from guilt about
sex, changed some laws and helped launch a revolution or two.
And did it while having fun – perhaps the most liberating
revolution of all…
“Life in 1953 wasn’t ‘Happy Days.’ The media were painting
the portrait of a Norman Rockwell America – the family that
prayed together stayed together – but it was a time of rigid
conformity in politics and lifestyle.”
When it comes to great literature, you know the movie “The
Hustler”? It was first a story in Playboy. “Fahrenheit 451”?
Ray Bradbury first published it in Playboy. And Jack Kerouac’s
“The Origins of the Beat Generation” was first a series of stories
in Playboy.
“All the President’s Men”? Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
let Playboy publish the first installment of their book. “The Best
Little Whorehouse in Texas”? First printed in Playboy. “Fast
Times at Ridgemont High”? Playboy.
So there you have it…………………………..just waiting for
another reaction. Oh, I suppose you want a story or two
concerning the young ladies who have graced the cover,
centerfold, and lots of stuff in between?
Well, you know that Marilyn Monroe was the first pinup, au
naturel, and Janet Pilgrim, who worked in the subscription
department at Playboy became the first “girl-next-door”
playmate. Ellen Stratton was the first “Playmate of the Year” in
1960, while Elizabeth Ann Roberts gained some notoriety of her
own in 1958. Seems Ms. Roberts was underage, a fact that her
mother tried to hide, so Chicago cops busted ‘em both.
And then you have the terrific “Playboy Advisor.” Ahem.
Here’s a sample question from the 1980s.
“What’s the deal with tie tacks? I have accumulated some great
tie tacks and tie bars over the years, but nobody’s wearing them
anymore. Is it OK to wear them? And, if so, what is their proper
placement? – G.G. Parlin, New Jersey.
Advisor: “Maybe one day soon tie tacks will be back in vogue,
but until then, put them in safe keeping….As to placement, tie
tacks belong in the center of the tie. Tie bars should go on the
bottom half of the tie at a 45-degree angle.”
And how about this one:
“My lover and I….” Oops, can’t use this.
“I am 21-years-old and my girlfriend is 22. My problem…”
Oops, can’t use that one either.
“Can…………” Oops.
“During a recent…………” Oops.
Back to 1953, Hef’s creation was initially called “Stag Party,”
before he changed the name to Playboy. Said Dr. Paul Gebhard
of the Kinsey Institute (Kinsey report), “Hefner’s genius was to
associate sex with upward mobility.”
So there you have it. Sorry, no pictures, folks, but then you get
those all the time in your e-mail. And I don’t care what your
feelings are on the magazine itself, you have to admit it is far
tamer than the disgusting trash that’s so accessible these days on
this medium. And that’s today’s talking points memo.
Stuff
–UNC men’s basketball coach Matt Doherty resigned after just 3
seasons. Even the players’ parents said Doherty was basically
psycho. Or should we be letting parents make such calls?
Remember that little piece I passed along the other day
concerning Dean Smith? Bet he had a lot to do with this, don’t
you think?
–And then there is Pitt basketball coach Ben Howland, or make
that “former Pitt coach.” Howland is about to take the head job
at UCLA. What sucks is that he just signed a 7-year contract last
year for $5.9 million at Pitt. Nice loyalty, asshole. [Both of your
editor’s parents graduated from here and should be equally
upset.] And way to set an example for our young people,
dirtbag.
–Nice game the other night for the Denver Nuggets, as they were
whipped by the Phoenix Suns, 95-65. What makes this
newsworthy is the fact that Denver shot 26% for the game, 20 for
76 from the field, with the starting frontline going 8 for 39.
–Peter Jackson, director of “Lord of the Rings,” is now going to
do a new version of King Kong, slated for release in 2005. Talk
about an instant $300 million hit.
Top 3 songs for the week of 4/1/72: #1 “A Horse With No
Name” (America) #2 “Heart Of Gold” (Neil Young) #3 “Puppy
Love” (Donny Osmond…when the first two came out, I always
got them mixed up as far as who sang what).
Anaheim Angels Quiz Answers: 1) Single season RBI leader:
Don Baylor, 139 (1979). 2) Bo Belinsky, 1962 (oops, already
gave that away) and Clyde Wright, 1970, threw no-hitters before
Nolan Ryan arrived on the scene. 3) Players whose uniform #
was retired: Jim Fregosi (11), Rod Carew (29), Nolan Ryan (30)
4) Alex Johnson is the only Angel to win a batting title, .329
(1970). Carew won all of his with Minnesota. 5) Chuck Finley
is the all-time leader in wins, 165.
*I forgot to give you the “exclusive” StocksandNews baseball
picks for 2003. People normally pay good money for this, but
after flaming out in this year’s NCAA basketball tourney, I offer
it as another free service.
Anaheim vs. Arizona…Angels win! Angels win! My Mets have
the potential to go 60-100. [Two rainouts won’t be made up
because the games will be meaningless.]
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday.
