Gene Autry was the original owner of the Angels, and Chairman of the Board. He set in motion the course of a franchise, which has touched the lives of Angel fans throughout the world. The Singing Cowboy had his faults to be sure. He spent too much money on high-priced free agents, and too little on player development. But he was one of the most involved and beloved owners in baseball, always trying to improve his team and help them win that elusive championship by investing his time, money, heart and soul into achieving his dream.
Autry’s accomplishments extend way beyond the ball field. He has 5 stars on the Hollywood Walk-of-Fame (for radio, records, movies, television, and live performance). He has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and has received dozens of other awards and honors in recognition of his achievements.
Autry seemed to have the Midas touch when it came to music; but for some reason, his good fortune didn’t reach within the lines of the diamond. He spent a fortune on free agents in an effort to buy a winner; but his dream never came to fruition.
As his debts mounted, chasing the elusive ring, Autry realized that it was time to make a change. In 1995, he made a deal with The Walt Disney Company to sell them the team in exchange for their financial backing. The Cowboy died in 1998, without realizing his dream of winning a championship; but when it eventually happened, the whole organization recognized that his spirit still lived on in the soul of the franchise.
Autry was connected with the franchise longer than any other key member, and deserves to be among the 50 Greatest Angels. Yet because his contributions are so hard to quantify, it was hard to decide where he should be ranked. In 1992, the Angels retired #26 in his honor, as the team’s 26th man. Therefore, it is only fitting that he should be ranked as the 26th greatest Angel.
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