Losing Interest : With Angels in Hot Seat, Only 300 Faithful Fans Appear for Playoff Tickets

The California Angels may be struggling to win the American League West championship, but 19-year-old Ian Campbell said he’s not about to abandon his hometown team now.

“This is the time to separate the die-hards from the fair-weather fans,” said Campbell, a college student who arrived at Anaheim Stadium just before 6 a.m. Wednesday to buy tickets for a playoff series that might or might not happen.

The ticket sale, the first for a playoff series at the Big A in nine years, drew a sparse gathering of only about 300 people. The mood inside the near-empty stadium, where fans were invited to wait until the 10 a.m. sale began, was grim.

The team was up by 11 games in early August but then slid into a late-season losing streak that has jeopardized what fans were certain would be another playoff berth.

“I don’t think anyone dreamed that this nightmare would repeat itself,” said 54-year-old Ron Girardin, who left his Cathedral City home at 4 a.m. to buy tickets. “I think the fact that there’s hardly anybody here makes a statement about what California fans think of the Angels’ chances.”

The last time the Angels were in a playoff series was in 1986, but it missed out on going to the World Series after losing the American League championship to the Boston Red Sox, four games to three.

If the team wins the American League West Division title, games in the first round of American League playoffs will be at the Big A on Oct. 6, 7 and 8. If the team wins a wild card spot this year, games will be played in Anaheim on Oct. 3 and 5.

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In addition to being dispirited over the Angels’ playoff chances, many of the fans complained about Tuesday’s ticket-selling procedure, which was done by random drawing and rankled some of the early arrivals.

“I’ve been here since first thing this morning and now there’s 200 people in line ahead of me,” said an angry Adam Egan, 28. “The people who get here early are the true fans and they should be rewarded.”

But Egan’s 5:45 a.m. arrival paled in comparison to the efforts of 20-year-old Joshua Kittel, who spent most of the night outside the stadium. “I got here at 2:30 a.m. and slept near a ticket booth,” said a forlorn-looking Kittel, who skipped his classes at San Bernardino Valley College to make the trip to Anaheim.

“I guess I got up early for nothing,” said Kittel, who found himself near the end of the line clutching his sleeping bag and pillow.

Angel spokesman Kevin Uhlich said the random drawing, for which fans were given numbered wristbands as they entered the stadium, was conducted in order to make the process as fair as possible for everyone.

“It was more than fair,” Uhlich said. “It was always advertised as random wristbanding. People who chose to get here at 4 a.m., that was their own decision. There was no advantage to it.”

Other fans complained that the tickets had to be bought in blocks for all of the games, instead of individually. Uhlich said remaining tickets will continue to be sold that way this week. He said tickets for individual games may be available next week.

There were no complaints from Campbell and his friend Will Jenkins, 18. The pair had a breakfast at Denny’s, then began waiting outside the Big A before 6 a.m. Once inside, they played cards, ate hot dogs and became fast friends with those around them.

“We’ve already been on ESPN this morning and on Channel 5,” said Campbell, who skipped classes at Rancho Santiago College. “I’m having a great time.”

Campbell and others said they appreciated the efforts the Angels made to make the fans comfortable while waiting to buy tickets. Concession stands were open, selling food and drinks, and highlights and clips from past playoff games were shown on the giant Jumbotron screen.

“We can sit in here and relax and watch the big screen instead of standing outside in line,” said 19-year-old George Hatt of Anaheim.

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Longtime fans Ben and Lupe Avalos were randomly selected to be the first to purchase tickets. The Los Alamitos couple were escorted from the field to a ticket booth by former Angel player Bobby Grich and presented with Angel jerseys.

“In 1986, I waited for about 20 hours to buy tickets, so this is really a treat,” said Lupe Avalos, 66. “I know the team is falling but they are going to make it. We have a lot of faith.”

Grich, who was on the team’s 1979, 1982 and 1986 division championship teams, said fans should not give up on the team winning another division title.

“The fans that are out here today are the true fans and I hope they’ll be rewarded by coming out today,” Grich said.

Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi echoed those sentiments in his brief remarks to the crowd before the ticket sale began.

“I think if we’d done our job a little better, you’d have more friends with you right now,” he said. “But you people who did come out are the best friends this club has ever had. Bear with us for another week so we can get this turned around and you’ll be able to use those tickets.”

Bavasi didn’t need to persuade 56-year-old Loretta Okish to keep the faith. The retired bookkeeper from Fountain Valley vigorously booed a television reporter who suggested that the fans were waiting in line for nothing.

“I was the first person to have my car outside that gate at 4 a.m. and they are absolutely going to make it,” Okish said as she made her way to the ticket window. “Most people don’t have the faith that we have and they’re probably trying to buy tickets on the phone. Not us. We wanted to be here.”

Angel officials announced on Wednesday that tickets for the American League championship series--should the Angels win the first round of playoffs--will take place beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Big A.

The sale will be handled the same as Wednesday’s event, with numbered wristbands being handed out beginning at 7:30 a.m. A random drawing will take place at 9:30 a.m.

If the Angels make it to the American League Championship Series, which determines what team goes to the World Series, games would be at the Big A on Oct. 10 and 11, and on Oct. 17 and 18 if needed, officials said.