His Lost Summer Still Haunts

He was hell’s Angel. He was daffy Duck.

He was also one of the most powerful sports figures in Southern California, which explains why, in the summer of 1997, Tony Tavares required only three months to torch two flammable franchises.

While dodging those corks popping across Orange County this morning in the wake of Tavares’ resignation Friday as Disney sports boss, think of those three months.

In May 1997, Tavares fired Ron Wilson, arguably the most popular--and possibly the best--hockey coach in Southern California history.

The Ducks had just captured a community’s imagination by advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

They have since gone 133-174-54, with as much shot at the postseason as Lord Stanley’s Steamer.

Later that summer, the unthinkable happened.

In July 1997, Tavares nixed a trade that would have brought Mark McGwire to the Angels.

The franchise was just one big hitter from the playoffs, one big name from stealing the thunder from the fading Dodgers.

Since that season they have gone 312-336, including a just-completed season during which they were out of contention approximately three hours after April’s first pitch.

And, oh, after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals instead, McGwire hit 70 home runs.

Running the Disney sports operation since its inception in 1993, Tavares has indeed put the magic in magic kingdom.

He made two professional sports teams disappear.

In their beginning, the Mighty Ducks were one hot flock. Their merchandise sales ranked among the national leaders. The gorgeous Pond hosted 51 consecutive sellouts.

Today? In what may be the most astounding statistic in all of sports, the Mighty Ducks rank last in the league in attendance.

In the beginning of Tavares’ reign over the Angels, they had just lost a one-game playoff with the Seattle Mariners for the American League West Division championship.

Today? They are best known as that team that once had cheerleaders on top of the dugout.

To lay all of the blame for the Orange Massacre at Tavares’ squeaky shoes is, of course, a bit unfair.

But he was Disney’s smirking face. He was Disney’s condescending voice. A former venue operator, he was Disney’s answer to how sports franchises should be run.

Not as a team that creates memories for T-shirts, but as a team that sells those T-shirts.

Not as competitors, but as billboards.

Tavares fired Ron Wilson because he thought billboards shouldn’t talk.

Tavares nixed a deal that would have sent Jim Edmonds and Scott Schoeneweis or Jarrod Washburn to Oakland for McGwire and Scott Brosius because he thought billboards shouldn’t cost too much.

So what happened Friday was good news, no matter how or why it happened.

Tavares, who ironically was recently overruled by bosses on what would have been one of his best moves--the trade of Darin Erstad for top Chicago White Sox prospects--was apparently tired of the losing.

And Disney was apparently tired of how Tavares had become the focal point of that losing.

Again, who cares? Already the fallout will make Angel fans feel as if they’ve been rescued from a ninth-inning jam.

This could mean closer Troy Percival, who didn’t feel appreciated by Tavares, might agree to make nice and stick around after all.

Now for the bad news.

It is Tavares resigning instead of Disney.

In fact, this might indicate just the opposite, that Disney is not on the verge of selling the operation after all. Why would Tavares jump a rickety ship if that ship is preparing to dock?

With Disney still in charge, the focus turns to Tavares’ boss, a guy who runs, among other things, another Disney dog.

Yep, California Adventure. You’ve been? Didn’t think so.

Paul Pressler, chairman of Disney’s parks and resorts division that kennels that hound, is now charged with finding Tavares’ replacement.

Hopefully he does a better job than those in his company who set up the recent ABC/ESPN Rose Bowl show with California Adventure as a backdrop.

The only thing worse than hearing Terry Bowden prattle was watching him prattle in front of empty roller coaster.

But, anyway, here’s the worst of it.

Instead of letting his respective general managers take care of their own business, Pressler has announced a national search for Tavares’ successor.

Which means, if Disney is finally serious about winning, it needs to find somebody who knows as much as baseball as hockey.

Which means it still isn’t.

Goodbye, frying pan.

Hello, fire.

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Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com.