Angels, Bo Spring Back Into Action : Baseball: Optimism reigns as usual on first day of practice. Team has new names, renewed hope.

Bo Jackson kept stealing glances at the clock in the Angel clubhouse Thursday morning until, able to wait no longer, he walked toward 92-year-old coach Jimmie Reese.

“It’s time, Jimmie. You ready?”

Jimmie nodded, and Bo offered his right arm as if he were escorting him to the senior prom.

“I’ve been waiting for this all winter, Jimmie,” Jackson said.

Reese: “Kid, I’ve been waiting for this all my life.”

Off they went together, one man who is spending his 72nd year in professional baseball and wants to die in his baseball uniform; the other an exceptional athlete who refuses to let an artificial hip stop him from playing the game he loves.

“People consider me an inspiration for those people with crutches, canes and wheelchairs,” Jackson said. “Well, Jimmie is an inspiration to the entire game of baseball.”

This was the opening day of spring training for the full Angel squad, and 4 1/2 months since last donning baseball uniforms, they congregated for a 9:30 a.m. team meeting on their practice field.

The Angels are no different than most teams at this time of year, filled with great hopes and expectations, and seeing no reason why they can’t at least compete in the American League West. The Angels have not won their division since 1986, but with only four teams remaining because of realignment, no team can be easily dismissed.

There were 54 players who arrived in camp Thursday, but only 25 will be invited to remain with the team. Most of those rejected will be sent to the Angels’ minor-league teams. Some will be traded to other teams. Others will be fired, or as they call it in baseball, released.

The financial reward for being a major league player can be lifetime security, with the average annual salary exceeding $1 million. But to some, the money is insignificant. They find their inspiration elsewhere.

Second baseman Kevin Flora is motivated by the memory of his wife, MaryAnn, who was killed in an automobile accident last year. Jackson is playing for his mother, who raised 10 kids by herself, and died of cancer. Frank Tanana, 40, continues to play because of his unadulterated love for baseball.

It’s this same compassion for the game that attracted nearly 100 fans throughout the day to the Angels’ workout. There will be no exhibition games played for another week, and the practices consist mostly of methodical drills, but that doesn’t stop the fans from pressing their faces against the chain-link fence.

“This is my favorite time of year,” said Tom Lantz, 42, who brought along his 10-year-old daughter, Jennifer. “You can’t get close to the players during the season. This is our chance to meet them.

“My daughter just got Jimmie Reese’s autograph, and she thinks he’s the greatest thing in the world. The other players are nice, but Jimmie is her hero.”

The crowd has swelled this year at the Angels’ camp, primarily because of Bo Jackson. He’s a miracle of modern-day science. Everyone wants to catch a glimpse, trying to understood how a man with an artificial hip can still be a professional athlete.

“It’s absolutely incredible to see what he does,” said Phil Couchee, 60, who underwent the same operation eight years ago. “I’m restricted what I can and can’t do, but he’s doing everything like he never had an operation.

“Really, it’s hard for me to take my eyes off him.”

Jackson’s presence has brought the Angels national attention, and when he sat down for a press conference Thursday, it was attended by representatives from media outlets from San Diego to Boston.

“I used to take a lot of things for granted,” Jackson said, “but the 1 1/2 years I spent in pain, the struggle of getting out of bed, really put things in perspective.”

Jackson’s press conference had barely ended when Angel officials advised the media to stick around for another press conference. This one was a surprise. Starting pitcher Mark Langston had just signed a three-year, $14-million contract extension that will keep him with the Angels through the 1997 season.

“I can’t tell you how pleased and excited I am about this,” said Langston, who will contribute $50,000 to an Angel charity earmarked for abused children. “We signed this thinking it will be my last contract, so I’ll be retiring as an Angel.”

Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi, whose father allowed pitching great Nolan Ryan to leave as a free agent when he ran the Angels, didn’t stop long enough to celebrate his first major signing. He headed back to his office to find out why designated hitter Chili Davis didn’t show up for the first workout.

Davis informed the Angels he was taking care of personal business, and would be arriving Saturday. No problem, Bavasi said. He went back to his desk, looked out the window, and saw the sun starting to set on the baseball diamond.

No sight is more beautiful.

* A POSITIVE SIGN: Ace pitcher Langston agrees to a contract extension. C1