Immortal Angels - Fact #4

There are 5 numbers that the Angels have retired. At Angels Stadium 6 numbers hang with the addition of Jackie Robinson's #42. From a past post, we have learned that owner Gene Autry had #26 retired first in 1982. The next two were players who also have their numbers retired elsewhere. Rod Carew's #29 was retired in 1986. His number is also retired by the Minnesota Twins. He played 7 years with the Angels while playing 12 in Minnesota. The 18-time all-star won 7 batting titles and many other awards including the 1977 AL MVP. Over 3,000 hits and a .328 career average got him into the Hall Of Fame with over 90% voting in 1991.

Nolan Ryan would be the next in 1992. His #30 in lone to the Angels, but he also has #34 hung up by both teams in Texas. It was 1973 when The Ryan Express was completely unmatched by any hitter who dug in. Two no-hitters and a major league record 383 strikeouts that season. Ryan would also throw a no-hitter in the following two marathons. In his eight seasons with the Halos, Ryan led the American League in strikeouts seven times before being traded to Houston in 1980. He would be inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 1999 with a 98.7% voting percentage. 56 consecutive games with a hit by DiMaggio might be untouched, but 7 career no-hitters by Ryan might be on the same level.

Jimmie Reese coached the Angels for 23 years and was considered the greatest fungo hitter in the game with a bat he used himself. Unfortunately he did not see his #50 get retired in 1995 after passing away just a year earlier. Before his coaching days, Reese played with the Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League from 1933-1936. In those first two years he hit over .300 and lead all second baseman in fielding percentage.

The last number to be retired was Jim Fegosi's #11. He made his major league debut in September of the Angels' inaugural season. Fegosi played 11 years with the Halos while making his first all-star game in 1964. He was the last player to retire from the original 1961 Angel roster when he left Pittsburg in 1978 to come manage his team, the Angels. He would manage the Angels for just over 3 years. Fegosi along with Autry, were the first faces of this franchise.