Top 100 Angels: Alex JOHNSON #86

Alex certainly swung a good stick in 1970. As I recall, the last game of that season, he had two hits his first two times up, then was pulled from the game, as Yastrzemski had earlier in the day gone 1 for 4, thus giving Alex the batting title.

Things became unraveled for Alex and the team in 1971 and the clubhouse was certainly one of chaos. I was at the game in June 1971 at Boston, when Alex played his last game in an Angel uniform. After hitting a routine ball to the infield in the first inning, he didn’t leave the batter’s box and just walked to the dugout, where he had a heated discussion with some coaches………..that was his last at bat. I believe the manager was Lefty Phillips.

Thanks, WiHalofan for the correction.

I always thought that the June 04th 1971 game was his last as an Angel. There were some other events I recall from that series. After Sunday’s game, I waited near the area where the team bus was parked for the players to board. The lone occupant of the bus and sitting at the back by himself was Alex. Also, the series marked the return of Boston favourite Tony Conigliaro, who was traded to the Halos from Boston, the previous winter. Tony had come off a 1970 season of 36 Hrs, 116 BRI rbi, however, due to declining vision in one eye, as it turned out, 1971 was his only one in Angel uniform. The player who stood out to me in the whole June visit, was Jim Fregosi. I caught the Angels return to Boston in August 1971 also. Jim went on the disabled list with a foot injury I believe that summer and when I saw him in August, wasn’t the same player………looked way out of playing shape. Also, 1971 was Jim’s last with the team as in December was traded to the Mets for among others , as we long time Angel fans know, a one NOLAN RYAN.
  
I usually travelled to Boston many times, over the years, to catch an Angel / BoSox series, Boston being about 8 hours from my home area.