Angels stadium opened April 9, 1966
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The stadium underwent construction in 1979-80 to accommodate the Los Angeles Rams. Upon completion in 1981. The Rams left Anaheim in 1995.
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The “Big A” was originally Anaheim Stadium’s scoreboard support. It was moved to its present site when the stadium was expanded in the late 1970s.
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In 1996, The Walt Disney Company, a minority owner of the team since its inception (the stadium is located less than three miles from Disneyland, took control of the team. Soon afterward, the Angels and the city of Anaheim agreed to a new deal that would keep the Angels in Anaheim until 2031, with an option to leave the facility after the 2016 season.
As part of the deal, the stadium underwent an extensive renovation, returning the stadium to its original role as a baseball-only facility. Before the 1997 season, the section behind the outfield wall was demolished. Disney briefly considered moving the Big A scoreboard to its original location, but decided against such a move, citing costs, as well as the fact that the Big A had become a Southern California landmark in its parking lot location.
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The most noticeable change was a “California Spectacular” in which fireworks shoot out of the display at the start of games, after every Angel home run and after every Angel win (they had been shot off from a parking garage before then).
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The two giant Angels hats at the main entrance were originally blue and featured the Angels’ “winged” logo designed by Disney for the 1997 season, and were repainted red and decorated with the present-day halo insignia for the 2002 season.
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Outside the home plate gate is a full-sized brick infield complete with regulation pitcher’s mound and lighted bases, with bricks at each player position engraved with the names of Angels players who played at that position on Opening Day of each season since the Angels joined the American League in 1961.
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For a fee, the green infield bricks can be engraved with fans’ names or personalized messages.
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This post for me would not be complete without posting a little something about Angels Stadium history and me. Since I was a wee little girl, my parents took me to Angels stadium for baseball games. Then in my 20’s for two seasons I got to be one of the Angels “cheerleaders”. (see the scary photos of me below)
It was such an amazing and fun experience. My only regret was that I quiet the season before they won the world series. I’m an Orange County girl. I love my Angels.
