Anderson joins in tribute

After declining to join scores of other players last year by celebrating the legacy of Jackie Robinson by wearing his uniform number, Garret Anderson said he plans to wear No. 42 this year.

“Nobody has ever forgotten what he’s done,” Anderson said. “It’s nice to give tribute to the pioneers of the game.”

Gary Matthews Jr. was the lone Angels player to wear No. 42 last year. On Tuesday, 61 years to the day after Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, seven Angels plan to wear No. 42.

In addition to Anderson and Matthews, Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Chone Figgins, Howie Kendrick and Darren Oliver are expected to wear No. 42 for baseball’s annual Jackie Robinson Day, club spokesman Tim Mead said.

Anderson told The Times last year he declined to wear the number because Ken Griffey Jr. had come up with the idea for the tribute.

“It wasn’t my idea,” Anderson said then, “and I’m not the type of person to jump on the bandwagon because someone else is doing something.”

Anderson said this week there was some confusion surrounding his decision last year. Mead explained that Anderson had believed Griffey would be the only player wearing No. 42 and did not want to steal Griffey’s spotlight.

This year, Anderson said, he will be honored to wear the number of a man who helped integrate America, in baseball and beyond.

“It’s about civil rights. It’s much bigger than baseball,” Anderson said. “It’s good to remember the people who paved the way.”

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July 13, 2010: That’s the tentative date for the All-Star game to return to Anaheim.

The All-Star fan festival is planned for the Anaheim Convention Center, a few blocks down Katella Avenue from Angel Stadium.

The Angels and the city of Anaheim are in the final stages of negotiations with Major League Baseball, with an official announcement expected in coming weeks.

The Angels last played host to the All-Star game in 1989.

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Brandon Wood, the Angels’ top prospect, played shortstop for the first four seasons of his minor league career. The Angels moved him to third base last season, but they have moved him back to shortstop this season at triple-A Salt Lake.

General Manager Tony Reagins said the move does not indicate that the Angels will have a major league opportunity at shortstop before they will have one at third base.

The Angels are satisfied that Wood can play major league defense at shortstop and third base, Reagins said, but they want him to play shortstop because they have two other prospects to play third base at Salt Lake, Matt Brown and Freddy Sandoval.

“We think Brandon needs to develop,” Reagins said. “We think his defense is not a concern. We want him to find his way offensively.”

Wood, 23, is off to a .194 start at Salt Lake, with one walk and 13 strikeouts in 31 at-bats.

Brown, 25, is off to a .500 start, with three home runs and two strikeouts in 32 at-bats.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com