The song that built the LA Angels

Major League Baseball decided to expand the American League by two teams. The Washington Senators, which would be the replacement for the old Senators that moved to become the Minnesota Twins, and the LA Angels. 

Gene Autry originally went to the meetings to secure the rights to broadcast the games of the new LA Angels ballclub.

MLB was so impressed by the presentation that they offered the new ballclub to Gene Autry as the owner. 

After a bit of chaos that included suing Los Angeles Dodger owner Walter O’Mally, the LA Angels drafted their first player, pitcher Eli Grba of the New York Yankees on December 14th, 1960.

It’s been said that Disneyland was built because of a cartoon mouse. It can also be said that the LA Angels was built because of a singing cowboy’s biggest selling song.