Page 394 - 2025 Los Angeles Angels Media Guide

ANGELS HALL OF FAME

ANGELS HALL OF FAME
Gene Autry, Bobby Grich, Jim Fregosi, Don Baylor, Rod Carew, Nolan Ryan, Jimmie Reese, Brian Downing, Chuck
Finley, Bobby Knoop, Dean Chance, Mike Witt, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero and the 2002 World
Champions are the 16 members in the Angels Hall of Fame.
GENE AUTRY
The man responsible for bringing an expansion franchise to the American
League and Southern California region in December 1960, Gene Autry
was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame on July 19, 2011. His wife Jackie
accepted the honor on his behalf, accompanied by Angels Owner Arte
Moreno, and Angels Hall of Fame members Rod Carew, Chuck Finley, Bobby
Grich and Brian Downing during pregame ceremonies.
The “Singing Cowboy,” who passed away Oct. 2, 1998 at the age of
91, was one of the most popular owners in Major League history. His love
for baseball and the respect and admiration he had for those who played,
coached and managed the game has been well documented.
The native of Tioga, TX was raised in Texas and Oklahoma. Originally
discovered by Will Rogers in 1929, Autry gained popularity following a
recording contract with Columbia records that same year. He first appeared
on screen in 1934 and eventually starred in 93 films throughout his career. In
1940, theater exhibitors of America voted him the fourth biggest box office
attraction, behind Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy.
During his music career, Autry totaled 640 recordings, including more
than 300 songs written or co-written by him. His records sold more than 100 million copies and he received more than a
dozen gold and platinum records, including the first record ever certified gold. His Christmas and children’s records “Here
Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” and “Peter Cottontail” are among his platinum recordings. “Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the second all-time best selling Christmas single, boasts in excess of $30 million in sales.
From 1940 to 1956 the public listened to him on Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch radio show that was heard weekly over
the CBS Radio Network. In addition, Autry’s popularity was apparent during his personal appearance tours. The first
performer to sell out Madison Square Garden, his concert and rodeo appearances throughout the United States and
Europe are legendary and served as a model for other performers. Autry did two shows a day, seven days a week, for 65
to 85 days at a stretch.
Autry joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 and became Sgt. Gene Autry. During the war, he ferried fuel, ammunition and
arms in the China-India-Burma theater of war and flew over the Himalayas, the hazardous air route known as “The Hump.”
When the war ended Autry was reassigned to Special Services, where he toured with a USO troupe in the South Pacific
before resuming his movie career in 1946.
Autry’s long-cherished dream came true with the opening of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in November
1988, since acclaimed as one of the finest museums in the West. In January 2004 the museum merged with the Southwest
Museum and the Autry National Center was created, consisting of three entities: the Southwest Museum of the American
Indian, the Museum of the American West, and the Institute for the Study of the American West. Today thousands of
visitors, children and adults alike, learn the fascinating history of America’s West
through world-class collections of art and artifacts.
Autry is the only entertainer to have all five stars on the Hollywood Walk
of Fame, one each for Radio, Recording, Motion Pictures, Television, and Live
Theatre/performance. He was a 33rd Degree Mason and Honorary Inspector
General and was given the prestigious award of the Grand Cross of the Court
of Honor. Among the many hundreds of honors and awards Autry received
were induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame; the American Academy of
Achievement Award; the Los Angeles Area Governor’s Emmy from The Academy
ANGELS HOF
of Television Arts & Sciences; and the Board of Directors Lifetime Achievement
Award from the International Achievement in Arts Foundation. Gene Autry was
also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, The National Cowboy
Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and he
received The Songwriters Guild Life Achievement Award. He was also honored by
his songwriting peers with a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP.
Perhaps his greatest honor was the retirement of uniform No. 26, symbolic
of the 26th player on the Angels roster, a gesture initiated by members of the
1982 team.

430 2025 ANGELS MEDIA GUIDE