ANGELS 1988 PREVIEW SECTION : ALL TIME ANGELS : These Fans See a Hole in Outfield

The fact that Sam Ackerman rates a wave from Richard Nixon and a broken bat that nearly decapitated his son, courtesy of Alex Johnson, as his two most exciting memories of Anaheim Stadium says something about being an Angel fan.

That several other longtime fans’ finest moments occurred seconds before their lowest-- Moore into his delivery, and the pitch . . . Henderson drives the ball to deep left field -- says about the same.

Being an Angel fan, over the long haul, teaches a person about lost causes, self-defense and perseverance. This was found when eight long-time Angel season-ticket holders were asked by The Times to name their all-time Angel team.

They have endured the flops of the ‘60s and ‘70s--when the only reason to attend a game was the easy-access parking--and have basked in the relative fair weather of the ‘70s . . . only to find a new kind of torment.

“Being an Angel fan means never getting too hopeful,” said Ron Robbins of Anaheim, a season-ticket holder since 1966. “You’re so vulnerable. Knowing this team and its luck, you’re doomed to be let down.”

Considering that, why did they keep coming back? The eight fans consulted have combined for more than 100 years of Angel viewing, which, for a large portion of the club’s history, must have seemed tantamount to life imprisonment.

And yet, they seem remarkably resilient, ridiculously optimistic . . . you know, baseball fans.

“I thought about giving up my tickets several times,” said Stan Pawlowski of Anaheim. “But there was always next year. They’d pickup a good reliever or sign someone like Reggie, and there you were back in the ballpark.”

For others, it was the alternative that kept them coming back. Asked if he ever considered latching on with the Dodgers instead, Richard Theisen bristled, “I hate the Dodgers.”

Asked why, he explained: “Because I hate the Dodgers.”

So they have remained. They have traveled a long road with journeymen and players past their prime, and it has left them appreciating the effort much more than the result. What seems to matter most to them is the player’s heart; try to put a decimal point in front of that.

Still, interestingly enough, the fans’ team came remarkably close to the one chosen by The Times writers, albeit for slightly different reasons.

The team:

First base: Rod Carew.

Second base: Bobby Grich.

Third base: Doug DeCinces.

Shortstop: Jim Fregosi.

Catcher: Bob Boone.

Outfield: Brian Downing.

Outfield: Fred Lynn.

Outfield: Vacant (we’ll explain).

Right-handed pitcher: Nolan Ryan.

Left-handed pitcher: Frank Tanana.

Reliever: Dave LaRoche.

Manager: Bill Rigney, Jim Fregosi, Gene Mauch.

About that vacancy in the outfield. Though they were instructed to pick three outfielders regardless of the actual position they played, most fans decided to pick players by the field, anyway.

Downing was a runaway winner in left, most fans citing his determination and hustle as his greatest attributes.

“He gives you 120% all the time,” said Jerry Winner of South Gate.

Lynn was grudgingly put in center. Seems all those turns on the disabled list did nothing to endear old Fred to the paying customers.

“I’ll put him on because of his raw ability, but I really hate to,” Theisen said. “He never gave 100%. I would have loved to see someone with Lynn’s ability work as hard as Downing. That would have been something to see.”

Which brings us to a smartly manicured piece of property in right field, uncontaminated by cleats or tobacco. Four fans refused to put anyone in right field. Pawlowski did a bit of shuffling.

“Tell you what, put Carew in right,” he said.

And still another, Theisen, put Reggie Jackson in right, only to lament: “Defensively, that’s as good as no one.”

Grich and DeCinces were overwhelming picks at their positions, in some cases, for reasons having nothing to do with their ability. Several of the fans mentioned daughters and crushes and oh-he’s-sooo-cute.

“My daughter Mary Ann loved DeCinces,” Ackerman said. “I told her I was picking (Ken McMullen at third, and she nearly killed me. She got to know the stadium ushers really well and passed notes to Doug.”

Fregosi and Ryan were the only unanimous choices. Fregosi was recognized as the team’s first star, Ryan as its greatest.

“They were both leaders,” Robbins said. “Fregosi was a lot more fiery than Nolan. Nolan did it by example. He went out and pitched his heart out and he never complained. He was the Don Drysdale of the Angels. I think anyone who watched the Angels for any period of time would have to admit Nolan Ryan was the best of what you would want in a ballplayer.”

No consensus came on managers. Two votes each for Rigney, Fregosi and Mauch. Dick Williams and John McNamara each got a vote.

Carew, with four votes, beat out Wally Joyner (two) and Jim Spencer (two) at first.

“Carew made playing first look so easy,” said Janie Bianchi of Upland. “And he was a great hitter, until Dan Ford stepped on his foot.”

Apparently, Bianchi has some inside information.

Boone and Tanana were runaway winners.

But LaRoche at reliever brought back memories of right field. He won the position with three votes. If this were politics, we’d have to caucus. In all, five pitchers received votes for the position, which, by no means, should give you the impression that the Angels have had a ton of good relief pitchers.

“Do I have to pick one?” Ethel Burnette of Orange asked.

After some coaxing, she finally settled on Don Aase, figuring, “he was pretty good.”

In the end, maybe that’s what being an Angel fan for 20-plus years is all about. Seldom happy with the choices or the results, you make do with what you’ve got.

THE FANS’ TEAM

ROD CAREW First Base BOBBY GRICH Second Base DOUG DeCINCES Third Base JIM FREGOSI Shortstop BOB BOONE Catcher BRIAN DOWNING Outfield FRED LYNN Outfield VACANT* Outfield NOLAN RYAN RHP FRANK TANANA LHP DAVE LaROCHE Reliever BILL RIGNEY Manager JIM FREGOSI Manager GENE MAUCH Manager

* Panel felt no third outfielder deserving.

ANAHEIM STADIUM CROWDS OF 60,000+

Att Date Opp 61,026 4/4/82 Dodgers 61,640 4/4/82 Dodgers 62,020 10/3/82 Rangers 64,406 10/5/82 Brewers 64,179 10/6/82 Brewers 62,877 4/2/83 Dodgers 63,073 4/23/83 Orioles 63,132 7/4/83 Royals 62,921 3/30/84 Dodgers 62,968 4/6/85 Dodgers 61,066 6/17/85 Yankees 62,951 7/4/85 Red Sox 61,538 4/6/86 Dodgers 61,559 7/27/86 Red Sox 64,206 10/10/86 Red Sox 64,233 10/11/86 Red Sox 64,233 10/12/86 Red Sox 61,272 4/4/87 Dodgers 62,531 7/4/87 Brewers

ANGEL STADIUM SEATING INFORMATION Field and Club Box . . . $8.00 Terrace Box . . . $7.00 Centerfield Boxes--Club & Terrace . . . $7.00 Family Section (Centerfield Box) . . . $5.00 View Level . . . $6.00 Upper View Level . . . $5.00 View Level (Unreserved) . . . $3.00 Group Seating . . . $6.00, $7.00 Field and Club Box . . . $8.00 Terrace Box . . . $7.00 Centerfield Boxes--Club & Terrace . . . $7.00 Family Section (Centerfield Box) . . . $5.00 View Level . . . $6.00 Upper View Level . . . $5.00 View Level (Unreserved) . . . $3.00 Group Seating . . . $6.00, $7.00 THE FANS’ PANEL SAM ACKERMAN . . . Whittier JANIE BIANCHI . . . Upland JIM BRODSKY . . . Villa Park ETHEL BURNETTE . . . Orange STAN PAWLOWSKI . . . Anaheim RON ROBBINS . . . Anaheim RICHARD THEISEN . . . Anaheim JERRY WINNER . . . South Gate