The Los Angeles Angels are facing quite a predicament right now. Initially, owner Arte Moreno planned to sell the team. However, after some back-and-forth, the sale didn’t go through. To make matters worse, fans have taken to showing up shirtless, demanding that he sell the team. Oh, and there was a rat problem earlier this year. To top it off, a Dodgers fan had a run-in with an opossum over the weekend. Now, there’s talk about possibly changing the team’s name again.
So, let’s dive into this.
The nickname “Angels” wasn’t just chosen randomly. It actually dates back over a hundred years to the original Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League. That team was a major force in the area until the Dodgers moved in from Brooklyn in late 1957.
The name is quite straightforward. “Los Angeles” literally translates to “angels” in English. Interestingly, the team’s heritage is tied deeply to Southern California, long before Major League Baseball arrived in the region.
Fun fact: During the years from 1962 to 1965, when the Angels played at Dodger Stadium, they referred to it as Chavez Ravine. That name seems to have stuck around.
Back in 1961, well-known cowboy actor and musician Gene Autry, who had been part of the Los Angeles scene since the 30s, managed to secure a major league franchise. He aimed to keep the legacy of the PCL team, but ultimately, Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley held on to the rights to the Angels name. Eventually, a deal was struck where he sold it back for about $350,000, and the Los Angeles Angels were revived.
From there, the rebranding began. The team became the California Angels after relocating to Anaheim in 1966, hoping to broaden their marketing reach across the state. This name held up until 1997, when Disney bought the team and rebranded them as the Anaheim Angels after rallying public support to renovate the stadium.
When Moreno acquired the team in 2005, he aimed for a bigger media market and the controversial name “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim” was born. Thankfully, in 2016, it was simplified to the current Los Angeles Angels.
Now, nearly two decades later, California lawmakers are pushing for a return to the Anaheim Angels name. If Assembly Bill 2512 passes, they might have no choice but to revert, regardless of Moreno’s preferences.
This odd saga reflects a team that started in Los Angeles, matured in Anaheim, and has constantly been in a struggle for identity between Hollywood and Orange County.
