Angel Stadium

Although it is over four decades old and its look has changed several times, Angel Stadium is the home to one of the best teams in the American League. In 1960 Gene Autry founded the Los Angeles Angels. The team played their first year at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field in 1961. After the Los Angeles Dodgers constructed Dodger Stadium in 1962, the Angels moved from LA Wrigley Field to the Dodgers home until 1965. Since the Angels founding in 1960 the team had studied numerous sites in Southern California to possibly construct a ballpark on. The team decided that their future was in Anaheim. This 140 acre site was chosen because of its proximity to major freeways and Disneyland. On August 31, 1964 construction began on Anaheim Stadium. With the move to Anaheim, the team changed its name from the Los Angeles Angels to the California Angels. After a work stoppage and strikes, Anaheim Stadium was completed on time. The Angels played their first game at Anaheim Stadium on April 19, 1966 against the Chicago White Sox. The three tier stadium had 43,204 seats that stretched from the right field foul pole to homeplate and around to the left field foul pole.

Escalators, elevators and ramps helped fans get to the multi-colored seats. Anaheim Stadium instantly became known as the "Big A", because of the A-frame scoreboard that was behind the outfield wall. The $1 million, 230feet tall scoreboard was the largest built at the time. It was topped with a giant halo. Original dimensions at Anaheim Stadium were 333 ft. (left), 404 ft. (center), and 333 ft. (right). The first of two renovations to Anaheim Stadium came in 1979 when the Los Angeles Rams (NFL) moved to Anaheim. The stadium was enclosed, increasing the capacity to 65,158. A new scoreboard was installed on the facade of the outfield roof because the "Big A" was moved to the parking lot. New executive and media boxes, and a new sound system was added.