When did you become an Angels fan? Were you an Angels fan before, during or after the 2002 season?

[AzHaloFan]

Can remember my first game in 95 on grandma's cookies trading card day, but got really hooked in around 97-98 when my mom's company got season tix and nobody would want the tix.

I TOTALLY remember thise trading cards!!! Had them til maybe 8 years ago!!! What about the 95" Pic N Save "CA" beach towel give away??

[AzHaloFan]

Question? If you could relive the 2002 season all over again here on the board, in detailed fashion, game by game till the Erstad's final catch, would you be interested? 

Sign me up for the September series vs. Oakland, The ALDS vs NYY in Anaheim (both games) and Game muthafn SIX, cuz, you know, I was THERE

[AzHaloFan]

So our new running feature of the 2002 season was the inspiration behind this thread. If you haven't voted yet, please do.

 

Also, if you did become a fan after the 2002 club, these games were historic in that the 2002 Anaheim Angels was magical and at times just eye popping unreal. To relive this again, I'm excited as I've watched the World Series DVD many times, but it was the entire season before they got there that was just amazing to take in as a fan.

Obtaining and watching "A Red Dawn Rises" may be a good investment for a Pre 2002 fan to get and watch before the WS DVD. I wish I still had mine, but I still have my 2002 DVD and will always cherish it. Still get goosebumps and tears watching it.

 

"He wasn't about to let the moment pass him by..." if you know that line, you know why I have always had the profile pic I have have.

[Jim]

Introduced in 1966. Became a real fan in 1970, bike riding distance and all, and have been one ever since.

[timhanna]

I was born at Anaheim General Hospital in 1991, so by the time Tim Salmon was wearing his AL Rookie of the year crown, I was already hooked. Many tears were shed as Erstad camped under that high fly ball, with Percy and Benji locked in the most sincere world series celebration in recent memory. Still gives me goosebumps...

[DEATHRACERCHEVY]

Not going to pretend. Since I started dating this current beau, I have started embracing the Angels Fandom. Went to a game in September 2011 with him, when the playoffs were pretty much set, and I saw Trout.  How young he was and besides the fact that he is handsome (in my opinion) I was definitely interested in him as a fan of baseball. After that, we pretty much started going every chance we got. (We try to seat in right field to be as close to him as possible, now I guess I have to move to left) Besides that, I am a Red Sox fan, though I really try not to be an obnoxious fan.

 

"Question? If you could relive the 2002 season all over again here on the board, in detailed fashion, game by game till the Erstad's final catch, would you be interested?"

 

I definitely would be interested. I think if I had been able to go to baseball games at a younger age, I might have joined the Angels Fandom a little sooner rather than joining the Red Sox. The emotion of that season, at least when described by the boyfriend, was something magical. He sounds like a kid every time reminisces about those games leading up to eventually winning the World Series. 

[Splint7438]

Hij the azhalofan. I saw your note to me in a tag and email. I have been unable to locate it here on the board tho. I am a big Nolan Ryan fan and I have some Ryan stuff but not a lot. I have cards, shirts, a giant fathead that dominates a wall in my bar, and a few other things like that. I suppose the coolest Ryan artifact I have is a ball signed by Ryan and Frank Robinson when they were both on the Angels. I believe he is the best power pitcher to ever play the game. He is integrity personified. I cried when he spoke at his induction into the HOF. Meeting him at such a young age and having such a positive experience is probably why I am a sports fan today. Probably why I am so outgoing because being a sports fan I can always find something to talk to other people about. I just find him larger than the game itself.

In your note you mentioned that he lived on Romneya. I didn't mention that but you are exactly right. He was a block or so from Thomas Edison elementary in the only house with a circle driveway. Did you live in this area as well? My wife and I live in corona now but still work in anaheim and visit friends there all of the time. Thanks for noticing my post and I look forward to getting to know you through the board.

[Erstad27]

I became a fan when Erstad still wore #27.  Circa 1996 or 7 I had a crush on my classmate and her name was Angel.  One day I was flipping through the TV channels when I saw the Angels playing the Orioles in Baltimore on KCAL.  Sure enough I have been rooting and following the team since.  I have always liked Darin Erstad, but liked him less until 2001 when he never remembered how to hit decently again.

 

I miss classy players like him, King Fish, GA.......

[George17]

I became a fan in 2003 but I had no idea about the 2002 World Series win at that point. I wasn't jumping on the bandwagon.

I was 9 years old on a family holiday in CA from the UK. We decided to go to a game between the angels and tigers in the summer of 2003. Been hooked ever since. Average first pitch time for angels home games is 3 am for me so the angels give me many sleepless nights

[pattimelt]

I have been a baseball fan all my life. When I moved here in Feb of 96, my boyfriend at the time (now husband) was an Angels fan.  I admit, I am, and always will be, a Tiger fan, too.  I got to see 2 world series as a Detroit fan, and I don't think I will ever forget when they won it in 84.  My first Angels game was opening day, 1996..  Got my first set of season seats in 02..  and now, I get paid to be at the stadium!!!  (PLEASE-- It's really NOT my fault we are sucking, just because I work there, and NO, I can't give a message to Mike Scioscia for you!!!)

[Terri Worthington]

I was born at Anaheim Memorial Hospital in 1962, but being the daughter of a career Navy man meant we left Anaheim and moved to Hawaii and then settled in the Bay Area. During the 70s, I was an A's fan and still remember being ushered into the cafeteria in grammar school to watch the playoffs. Watching the A's in the 70s led me to my love of the game.

In 1981, I moved back to Anaheim and was living with my aunt and uncle who had season tickets in the 12th row behind the Angels dugout. Living 5 minutes from the stadium and attending nearly every home game and listening to the away games on the radio over the next 2 seasons hooked me for life. I've since raised 2 boys and yes, they are both Angel's fans!!

2002 was magical. Midway through the season, I painted a 3 ft high red A complete with a halo on my living room window, and it is still there. Guess I'm waiting for the magic to return. Please let it happen before I die!!!

[vlad27]

Long story short - I moved from NY to AZ grew up a Mets fan living in Queens . After moving to Az and focusing on music I kind of stopped following the Mets for a few years.

I started spending a lot of time in southern CA around 2001 and went to my first Angels ST spring 2002 - I realized how much I missed baseball and wanted a home team to follow . I couldn't get into the DBacks- so my family adopted the Angels as our team and winning the World Series that year made it sweeter of course - so I'm a fan since 02- spring of 02.

Now my family and I go to a bunch of ST games and a few games a year at the Big A

[joeywings]

Fan since '85.

I knew next to nothing about baseball the year before that . A co-worker of mine was a die hard Halo fan and he turned me into one.

[HaloSkinsFan]

1965.  My first year in Little League and our coach took the team to the game.  Saw player like Jim Fregosi, Bobby Knoop, Rudy May, and Buck Rodgers.  I got to work at the stadium in 75-76 running up and down the isles selling Peanuts and cokes, and then in the Stadium Club in 77-78 as a bus boy.  I got to meet all the players that played for the Angels during that time period along with Gene Autry and several celebrities that came to games as guest of his.

[Fontana Halo]

I used to post as IE Angel. I became a fan during the 90s growing up. All my buddies were Dodger fans and I was the rebel.

[Chuck]

Good stuff guys. Love reading your stories. Keep em coming!

[arch stanton]

I started paying attention in '72 but it was '73 and following Nolan through the season of 383 that got me hooked. Me and my little clock radio listening to Enberg and Drysdale.

We went to about 10 games that year, usually sitting a few rows behind the 1st base dugout. Those seats cost $7.50 and could be bought at the window on game day.

[ok9275]

Possibly 96 or 97, I cannot remember the exact year... I just remember I was about 9-10 years old and every morning before taking my shower to go to school I would run outside every morning, pick up the newspaper, take out the sports section and seeing what time the Angels/Ducks/Lakers played since they all played on kcal lol

[Keener]

Ha!  Good spot to make my first post on the new board. 

 

1978 or '79.  Different family members share the credit/blame for taking me to the Big A as a 5 or 6 year old.   

 

I was lucky enough to get an autograph,and have a short conversation with Bobby Grich a couple of years later while all of the other fans waiting outside were distracted by Reggie.  That really solidified my fandom.  

 

Around that time, my little league team won our league in Chino Hills.  We got to go to our choice of an Angels or Dodgers game.  Unfortunately, my vote stood alone, and we had to go to Chavez...

[greginpsca]

1967 out of the womb.  My Grandfather and Father were old PCL Angels fans.  I remember them telling stories of how they hated the fact that Brooklyn moved in and they could not stand OMalley for what he did to the Angels and the effect the move had on the PCL in general.  It destroyed 2-3 generations of baseball history.

 

When the Angels became an AL team there was no question where the loyalties of the family were going to be, and the way OMalley treated Autry just further increased the family's devotion and defense of the Angels and fueled the hatred of the Dodger organization.

 

I laugh when I see and hear Dodger fans talk about their "superiority" in Los Angeles.  They really know nothing about baseball or its history.

The way the OMalley's treated the Angels was a big reason for my family turning on the Dodgers. Also,i remember my dad being pissed at how The Dodger players refused to sign autographs for kids after the games. Yet, Angel players, to this day have always been more than happy to sign.

[Willy J.]

I was born in 1960 and my dad started taking me to the Big A when I was six.

 

I'm a lifer.

[Ohtaniland]

1984. I was there for Reggie Jacksons 500th homerun. I bought and still have the commemorative t-shirt that they sold only on that day.

[JB Abell]

My dad took me to my first game in 1986 when I was 2 weeks old to the playoffs against the Red Sox, last time they went there before 2002.

Obviously i have no recollection of that, but I've been going to at least 5 games a season ever since. Been a fan since before I can even remember.

[nando714]

Ever since i can remember baseball there was the angels

As a kid id always bug my dad to take me to games

I was born in 87 and i can remember being at the stadium in 1992 for the first time

[ProvoAggie]

I was born in 1984 and can remember going to games in the early 90's.