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2026 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 of Television Arts & Sciences;
ANGELS HOF
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.
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