Page 398 - 2025 Los Angeles Angels Media Guide

ANGELS HALL OF FAME

BRIAN DOWNING
Brian Downing, who served 13 years in an Angel uniform, left the club as the
all-time leader in almost every major offensive category. He is one of only two
Angels (Bobby Grich being the other) to participate in each of the club’s first
three A.L. West Division titles. He was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame
on Aug. 27, 2009.
Downing was originally acquired by the Angels, Dec. 5, 1977, along with Dave
Frost and Chris Knapp from the White Sox in exchange for Bobby Bonds, Thad
Bosley and Richard Dotson. The Anaheim native helped lead the Angels to their
first Division title in 1979 batting a career-high .326 with 12 home runs and 75
RBI. His stellar performance earned him an All-Star selection.
During his 20-year career, Downing registered a .267 average in 2,344 games
with 2,099 hits, 1,188 runs, 275 home runs and 1,073 RBI.
After 13 seasons, Downing topped many Angels all-time lists with 1,661
games, 5,854 at-bats, 889 runs, 1,588 hits, 2,580 total bases, 282 doubles, 222 home runs, 846 runs
batted in and 866 walks.
In 1984, Downing was co-winner of the Owner’s Trophy, symbolic of the Club’s Most Valuable Player as
voted by the players.

CHUCK FINLEY

Chuck Finley, the Angels all-time leader in wins with 165, was inducted
into the Club’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 27, 2009.
The five-time MLB All-Star (four times with Angels) was originally
selected by the Halos in the first round (fourth overall pick) in the 1985
Draft. He saw his first big league action the following season, joining the
Club for their memorable 1986 A.L. West Division title run.
The West Monroe, LA native’s career spanned 17 seasons in which he
compiled a 200-173 record and a 3.85 ERA in 524 games.
On the date of his induction, he topped the Angels all-time list with 165
wins, 379 starts and 2,675 innings pitched while finishing second behind
Nolan Ryan with 2,151 strikeouts and fourth with 57 complete games.
In a dominating three-year period from 1989-91, Finley posted a 52-27
record with a 2.93 ERA in 95 starts. In 1990, he enjoyed a career-year in
which he took home the Owner’s Trophy, going 18-9 with a 2.40 ERA, the
third-lowest single season ERA in club history.
When he retired in 2002, Finley was one of only 25 pitchers in Major League history to record over 2,500
strikeouts.
BOBBY KNOOP
One of the original Angels stars during the team’s first decade of existence,
Bobby Knoop was inducted on Sept. 5, 2013. The infielder was a four-time
recipient of the Owner’s Trophy (1964-66 & 1968), presented annually to the
Club’s MVP. He is one of just three Halos to win the award at least four times
(Garret Anderson & Mike Trout).
The second baseman played six seasons with the Halos (1964-69) and
ANGELS HOF
combined with Jim Fregosi to form one of the most formidable double-play
tandems in all of MLB. The duo claimed Gold Gloves Awards in 1967, the
second of three such honors for Knoop.
Knoop’s best offensive season came in 1966 when he posted career-highs
in home runs (17), RBI (72), runs (54) and triples (11). His 11 triples led the A.L.
and he was named an All-Star Game starter that season.
Originally signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent before
the 1956 season, he was a Rule 5 Draft pick by the Angels from the Braves on Dec.
2, 1963. In his first season with the Angels in 1964, he played in all 162 games.

434 2025 ANGELS MEDIA GUIDE