Las Amigas’ Guardian Angels Are Well-Dressed

Las Amigas de San Jose, a support group for St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, drew a crowd of 200 to the Anaheim Hilton on Saturday to see a dozen California Angels and their wives model casual and evening wear.

Cocktails, dinner, fashion show, dancing--same package as last year, at the same price ($125 per couple).

Last year, the Amigas nabbed TV sportscaster Fred Roggin for the emcee job, and he unleashed an irreverent commentary that played like a comedy routine. Roggin ragged the ballplayers as they paraded self-consciously down the runway, and they responded by mugging, giggling and showing off.

This year, emcee duties were more conservatively divvied between Angels’ radio announcer Al Conin and Barbara Roberson (she works for Santa Ana/Mainplace, which provided the clothes). Conin reported on the players’ careers, Roberson described the outfits.

Fun for guests included the opportunity of chatting with the athletes before a steak and salmon dinner.

Second baseman Mark McLemore described his off-field fashion style as “sweaters and baggies . . . comfortable clothes.”

Backup catcher Darrell Miller was asked about his reputation as the GQ Man of the ballclub (this insight from Conin during cocktail hour).

Miller laughed. “Well, if that’s so, it’s only because of this lady,” he said, nodding to his wife, Kelly.

“He may get beat up in the parking lot,” joked Kelly, “but he leaves home looking good .”

Arlyne Parrish, wife of catcher Lance Parrish, also admitted to taking an active role in her hubby’s haberdashery. Asked if the big guy likes to slouch around the house in sweats, Arlyne responded: “No, I don’t let him.” Around the Parrishes’ Diamond Bar home, said Arlyne, it’s “jeans and boots once in a while, but mostly I got him into all this surfer junk now.”

The benefit raised an estimated $20,000 to help expand the hospital’s surgical facilities, according to event chairwoman Kathy Cheek.

Among those organizing the fund-raiser were Rina Santora, Jana Burwell, Suanne Karlinski, Karen Buttacavoli, Judi Allen, Debbie Johnston, Judy Heric, Shirley Edelman and Jan Cassen.