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Happy 60th birthday to an old and wonderful friend

April 4, 2026

Happy Birthday, old friend!

You’re 60 years old. Yeah, you look and act your age, at times. Heck, I’m several years older than you, so I know all about that.

But you’ve still got what it takes. People love you. So do I.

We first met on April 19, 1966. The California Angels’ first regular-season game at Anaheim Stadium, a 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The winning pitcher was Tommy John, and 60 years later his name still is frequently mentioned.

I sat with my father up in the view level’s right-field corner.

Since then, I’ve visited with you around 1,000 times – averaging 16 or so Angels games a year, many Rams games, the Freedom Bowl, high school baseball and football games, even a junior college football game, and many concerts.

Oh, those concerts with you. The favorites …

The first one for me was the Eagles on a very hot Sept. 28, 1975, with Linda Ronstadt and Fullerton’s own Jackson Browne on the bill. That’s a historic show for the Eagles – Bernie Leadon’s last show with the band, and his eventual replacement Joe Walsh guested for his “Rocky Mountain Way” as an encore.

The Who the following March, with Keith Moon still their drummer.

And The Rolling Stones on back-to-back days in summer of 1978. People near the front of the big stage out in center field had been throwing shoes and sandals on stage on the first date, July 23, and even more on the second date, July 24. Then Mick Jagger said, “Ok, let’s have everybody’s shoes!” And it rained shoes during “Love In Vain.”

Walking out of the stadium, one could tell who was close to the stage that day – all of us barefoot people.

A few days after the Angels won the World Series in 2002, the Stones played the stadium. During “You Got Me Rocking’” the big screen showed World Series highlights.

Back to baseball …

The first foul ball I got at your place was hit by Oakland A’s pitcher Vida Blue. That was before the designated hitter. The last one I got two seasons ago, I gave to a kid because the only reason I caught it was because I’m taller.

My sister Barbara has seen five no-hitters at your house. Two Nolan Ryan no-hitters and one each by Angels lefty Clyde Wright, Bert Blyleven of the Texas Rangers and Joe Cowley of the Chicago White Sox (Cowley walked seven Angels that night and never won another game after that).

I saw a bunch of Nolan Ryan low-hit games, and games when his strikeout totals reached the teens, but no no-hitters by anybody.

I was with you for the 3,000th hit by George Brett and Rod Carew, and Reggie Jackson’s 500th home run.

I was in the clubhouse, about 10 feet away when Bobby Grich poured a can of Budweiser on President Richard Nixon’s head during the celebration after the Angels clinched the American League West championship in 1979.

I went to a game in the early 1980s and saw just one pitch. Coming home from a dinner in Laguna Beach, listening to a tied game on the radio, and figured I’d pop in for some extra-innings baseball. Walked in and took a seat behind home plate, bottom of the ninth inning, just in time to see Juan Beniquez hit a line drive up the middle to drive in the winning run.

My daughter doesn’t remember her first game with you. Stephanie was only four months old and in her mother’s arms for Game 5 of the AL Championship Series. The Angels were one strike away from what would have been their first World Series appearance when Boston’s Dave Henderson hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to turn the series around.

I saw my son Sean play on your field. He played right tackle for Servite in an excruciating loss to Mater Dei. Sean always played his best against Mater Dei, as he did that November 2006 night in Mater Dei’s 28-22 overtime win.

And of course 2002. Winning the World Series.

When the Angels beat the Yankees, 9-5, on Oct. 5 of that year, in the AL Division Series to clinch their first playoff series win, knowing victory was in hand, I walked from the field level to that view level right-field corner, where I saw my first game with Dad, to watch the final out.

From Jim Fregosi, my first sports hero, to Mike Trout. Good times, bad times. You know we’ve had our share.

I could keep going but you don’t need to be reminded of any of it, because you were there.

So many great memories. So much fun. And more of both to come.

Happy 60th birthday. Thanks for everything. See you soon.

Orange County Register

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Happy 60th birthday to an old and wonderful friend

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