Welcome to the Ecstasy of the After Life

by Rev Halofan on Mar 22, 2005 8:19 PM PST in Angels News

I once had a blog, or should I say, she once had me?

This is a blog upgrade. It is no mere facelift. The Halofan has gone to Halos Heaven. Here at Halos Heaven, there will be chat features for all Angels games. In addition to this, the Sportsblog family has a cool feature: Diaries. Once you get involved, you can post your own entries and they will be headlined in the column to your immediate right.

So we will have a lot of traffic to this site and keep the discussion focused on the Major League Baseball Angels.

Since it is my first post, I will discuss the first game I ever attended at Anaheim Stadium. It was a day game in 1975 against the Milwaukee Brewers (they were in the American League back then). I went with Webelo Pack 903 from La Mirada. We had seats in the equivalent of the diamond club - this just would not happen these days. I remember some old lady - not an usher - telling us all to calm down and stay in our seats; and that Henry Aaron didn't play.

That is about all I recall - except at some point in the game, one kid in our Pack - the only one with an Angels hat - solved the most burning question in all of sports: Who is better, the Angels or the Dodgers? With impeccable logic he converted 8 kids to Anaheim loyalty with the simplest phrase: The Angels have Nolan Ryan. He's the best, they're the best. Although not as dramatic as St. Paul's conversion experience, it had a similar effect. In fact, when I went to opening night at Chavez Ravine the next season, it got rained out. Being only the 2nd rainout in the history of that former Brooklyn team's West Coast Stadium, I took it as a signal from God that I should not consort with leagues who let pitchers bat.

And the Angels have been a deep part of my life ever since. So welcome to Halos Heaven, introduce yourself by commenting on this post, and tell us all about the first Angel game YOU ever went to.

Hopefully, it wasn't with any of these miscreants:

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Comments

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your upgrade. Looking forward to your thoughts, rants and pics on the new Halos Heaven site.

by Angelino Angel on Mar 22, 2005 11:16 PM PST reply actions

Thanks Ang!

Thanks. Let's all have some fun!

by Rev Halofan on Mar 22, 2005 11:21 PM PST up reply actions

1st game

I only remember 2 games from my youth:

Extra-inning game on a school night. Game went until 1am, finally finished on a solo HR by Rod Carew.
Random game, in which my father coerced me into waiting until he reached out and got me Nolan Ryan and Brian Downing autographs.

Needless to say, I am an Angel fan for life.

by yeswecan on Mar 24, 2005 12:26 AM PST up reply actions

Carew

I have a vague memory of that Carew Game - watching it on ON-TV. Does anyone else recall ON-TV ?

by Rev Halofan on Mar 24, 2005 2:18 AM PST up reply actions

It's not on tv...it's on ON TV

We had that at our house!! I remember it seemed so "adult". Not in the sense that it was porn(although I think some form of softcore was broadcast) but...the whole idea of TV that was seperate from ....tv.

One of my 1st "grown up" moments was when my parents and I watched Richard Pryor's 1st concert film on ON-TV in '79. It's still one of the absolute best examples of the art of stand up.

by Nailnhed on Mar 24, 2005 5:45 AM PST up reply actions

Akashic Fielder

I like the new digs!!

Since this is Halo Heaven...I guess I'd like to try out for Akashic Fielder (and I won't even try to explain what it is....cuz I'm sure I'd wreck the explanation..)

My 1st Angel game was so long ago I barely remember it...1967! I was 7 and was also playing my 1st season of organized baseball in the Harbor-Mesa league. So, when my dad took me to the game I not only wore my "redlegs" uniform(including cleats)and glove...but I also brougt my bat! Maybe I was hoping for a pinch hit opportunity? Ah...the innocence of 7....

Not only was the Stadium new that year(or nearly so)....so was the 405 freeway that took us from our home in costa mesa out towards Anaheim.

I "think" we played the Tigers that night...although I wouldn't bet anyone's life on it! I remember being amazed that the outfielders ran so fast when chasing down a ball that their hats flew off!! REALLY impressive to a 7 yr old.

Sadly at that point in my nascent baseball life I was a Kansas City/Oakland A's fan(hey...I had way more A's baseball cards than any other team..)This fandom of course would pay off in spades in the ealry 70's.... although once in '71 or '72(?) I was heart-broken to be at a game where Frank Tanana struck out 18 of my beloved A's.

well...that was more than my 1st game experience...but hey we're all brother's here right?

by Nailnhed on Mar 23, 2005 3:14 PM PST reply actions

WELCOME !

Can't say I evr saw the Kansas City A's, but I recall LOATHING the George Brett-era Royals. Seems quaint now.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2005 3:36 PM PST up reply actions

1st Game

My first game i can remember was bat night. these weren't the small tiny basts these were 32 ounce bats. I went with my dad and we sat behind home plate at the very top of the stadium. i was so scared that i cried most of the time and we left at the third inning. My favorite player was Bobby Bonds.

what is wrong with those miscreants?

cupie

by cupie on Mar 23, 2005 3:16 PM PST reply actions

WELCOME - CUPIE!

You still afraid of those Upper View seats?

Those miscreants are dangerous Angel Fanatics! Just look at the menacing smiles!

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2005 3:38 PM PST up reply actions

apollo 13

that is why i only stand behind the bullpens or sit in the diamond club. afraid of hieghts.

The miscreant on the left is pretty good lookin'.

by cupie on Mar 23, 2005 5:23 PM PST up reply actions

photo

yeah, say what you want about angel fans, but these guys look ready to ROLL.

(or maybe re-decorate your apartment)

by yeswecan on Mar 24, 2005 12:44 AM PST up reply actions

1st Game Thread

Yeah. I remember it like it was yesterday. The colors were so bright and clear; it was Cap Night, a Saturday night in May of 79' before the real hysteria that year had built. The Halos were playing the White Sox. Chris Knapp vs. Randy Scarbury (spelling?).

I don't know if I'm alone on this but I dug those 78,' 79' era uniforms. I mean, every team's jersey was different, none of this league conformity bullshit were everyone has gray road unis. The many variations of black and gold outfits of the Pirates were just awesome, as was the Phillies road jersey, the Orioles bright orange, and dare I say I also dug the green unis of the hated A's.

The White Sox that night wore their ALL BLACK road uniforms which made a great contrast with the Angels sparkling white highlighted with navy and red. Very cool. I remember that Carney Lansford hit an early HR (either first or second inning) and that Grich also homered off Scarbury. The Angels did win the game, can't recall the score exactly but I think it was 6-3. Great first game.

by Jack Frost on Mar 22, 2006 8:26 AM PST up reply actions

Testing, Testing

I could never successfully log in to your previous site, though I just chalked it up to spite. Let's see if this works! And congratulations on the new digs. If I'm not mistaken, you've grown a beard 'ere we met....

by mattwelch on Mar 23, 2005 7:07 PM PST reply actions

Hey MATT W!

Nope, that was the 2003 beard.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 23, 2005 8:28 PM PST up reply actions

1st Game...

...how about just first impressions, I have no idea who we played. Now that I'm older and know the stadium, I guess my dad was setting it up by taking an odd route to our seats. We were in the 500's on the first base side, but entered the view level behind home. I remember trying to look at everything at once, it was huge. I also vividly remember Bruce Bochte (hence the screen name) hitting a pop out to the moon. To this day a similar pop fly - Dad still says, "Now that's a major league pop out!" I remember thinking this guy could easily hit a homer if he'd "just straighten it out!" like we all screamed in little league. The other thing that sticks out, probably not from this game though, was the Angels Hall of Fame. They had that year's baseball cards of all the Angels on display. I'd check them every game for new ones.

Here's some Spring Training 03 photos...
http://homepage.mac.com/sloppysgarage/PhotoAlbum14.html

I'm sure there's a better place for that link, but I'm learning.

by Bruce Bochte on Mar 24, 2005 9:21 AM PST reply actions

kewl!

awesome pics.

by Rev Halofan on Mar 24, 2005 12:11 PM PST up reply actions

Looking foward to being a part of this community!

I don't know why it took me until today to get around to looking for a good Angel blog to hang out in, but I think I have found it in Halosheaven. I have been an Angels fan since I was 8 or 9 years old. My love for the game and for this team has always been one of many strong bonds between me and my father, who took me to my first game around 1970. My father also imparted to me a great distaste for the Dodgers. I know for sure that my first game was with a group from our church. I know that my father and grandfather were there, but I am not sure about my brother. I am pretty certain that we were playing the Twins and that I was sitting in the terrace section under the overhang. I don't know who won, but I doubt it was the Angels as the Twins were a powerhouse back then. I have so many Angel memories that it would be silly to try to list them all here. I am hopeful that they will come out in some of my posts. Suffice it to say, my favorite player is, was, and will always be, Nolan Ryan. My life-long dream was to see a no-hitter in person, but it never happened. I saw many two and three hitters, but never a no-no. I am jealous that yeswecan actually got a Ryan autograph, something I was never able to do in spite of many long nights hanging out after the games. Is there anyone else out there who literally listened to every game on the radio? I used to wear a path in the shag carpet in my room pacing back and forth during games. Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale were the greatest play-by-play and color team in the world! OK, gotta stop before I start talking about how I used to tape the highlights show off the radio and listen over and over again to the great moments in Angels' history. Later!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 27, 2005 8:39 PM PST reply actions

WELCOME

If I ever have a son his name will be Nolan.
Okay, i waited too long, maybe Garret...

by Rev Halofan on Mar 28, 2005 12:04 PM PST up reply actions

OH MY !

Dick Enberg's voice on the final four this weekend sent me back the 1970s summers.......

by Rev Halofan on Mar 28, 2005 12:03 PM PST reply actions

Namesakes for Gosh sakes

I did name my son after Nolan Ryan, only I made "Ryan" one of his middle names. I am kicking myself now because I just should have made Nolan the first name AND Ryan the middle. I didn't do that because at the time we knew a couple who had a son named Nolan and we didn't want to be copy cats--haven't seen those people in 10 years and my son is 11. Oh well!

Nolan Ryan for President!

by Dodger Hater on Mar 28, 2005 3:22 PM PST reply actions