No rookies appeared in the opening day lineup and only a dozen Angels made their debuts in '63. In the season's 3rd game, on April 11, Bob Sadowski pinch-hit for Bo Belinsky in his Angel debut. There is a good Polock joke in that one somewhere. He grounded out to 2nd base. Pitcher Mel Nelson took the Sky-Ski's place in the lineup and pitched 3 innings of shutout relief. April 16 saw the Angel debut of starting Righthander Bob Turley, a former Cy Young Winner, one-time World Series MVP, and the Sporting News Player of the Year, AL Pitcher of the Year and All-Star for 1958 while with the Yankees. The glory was gone as he gave up 2 runs in relief and was the loser to the Twins in his first ever game under the Halo.
On May 17, Bob Perry went 1 for 4 in his Angel debut at Yankee Stadium, but Jim Bouton struck him out to finish the 4-3 Angel defeat. On May 26, First Baseman Charlie Dees doubled in his first at-bat as an Angel, driving in a first-inning run in the process! Debuting veteran catcher Hank Foiles was 0-4 in the first game of a doubleheader at the Ravine on June 5.
63. Bob Sadowski
64. Mel Nelson
65. Bob Turley
66. Bob Perry
67. Charlie Dees
68. Hank Foiles
69. Frank Kostro
Frank Kostro made his debut on June 18 as an extra-inning pinch runner. Check out the retrosheet.org play-by-play and then talk about being dropped into the eye of a hurricane:
ANGELS 11TH: Perry was hit by a pitch; E. Sadowski reached on an error by Drabowsky on a sacrifice bunt [Perry to second]; PEARSON BATTED FOR MCBRIDE; Pearson was walked intentionally [Perry to third, E. Sadowski to second]; KOSTRO RAN FOR PEARSON; WYATT REPLACED DRABOWSKY (PITCHING); Wyatt threw a wild pitch [Perry scored]; 1 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 1, Angels 2.
Kostro would be involved in an equally chaotic situation leaving the club, via a three-way trade the following June:
Traded by Los Angeles Angels to Minnesota Twins as part of 3-team trade in which Cleveland Indians sent Jerry Kindall to Minnesota Twins; Los Angeles Angels sent Billy Moran to Cleveland Indians; and Minnesota Twins sent Vic Power and Lenny Green to Los Angeles Angels (June 11, 1964).
Kostro had arrived on June 15, 1963 along with Righty Paul Foytack in a trade that sent George Thomas to Detroit. Foytack pitched 2 innings of relief, striking out 3 on June 19.
Jimmy Piersall started in Centerfield for the Angels on June 27. He had just been released by the Mets hours before, but he had 2 singles in 4 at-bats. Lefty Mike Lee started on the mound in his Angel debut at home on August 17. He gave up 4 earned runs in 4 and a third. Bob Duliba appeared on the mound for 1/3 of an inning in his Angel debut at home on September 9. The game saw him serve up a hard drive to Short that became a 2-run error charged to Jim Fregosi with the batter being thrown out at 2nd base for the final out of a four-run 9th inning.
70. Paul Foytack
71. Jimmy Piersall
72. Mike Lee
73. Bob Duliba
74. Aubrey Gatewood
The final debut of the Angels' 1963 season: 24-year old rookie righthander Aubrey Gatewood made his major league debut wearing a Halo on September 11, 1963 and pitched a 1-run, complete game, 4-hit victory over the Red Sox.