Angels Win, Fans Lose, Do Not Exist
By Andrew Kessler
Contributing Writer

The Angels beat the Yankees and there was much joy about this event in the Southland over the past weekend. "Angel Fans" were everywhere, running around in red and wearing their Angel hats with the same pride that Hanibal Lecter would have while serving body parts at dinner. I have one question for these droves of hardcore Angel fans: where oh where have you been?

The Angels are not exactly the Yankees or the Braves; they have not had much success of any kind in their four-plus decades in Disneyland, but that is still no excuse for some of the worst "jumping on the bandwagon" since the Gold Rush. The Angels attendance has been mediocre for years, but going beyond that, the apathy and lack of passion that people, supposed fans, have shown toward the team has been alarming.

Teams such as the Athletics and the Twins might not generate a tremendous amount of interest or have a large number of fans when they are not winning, but at least the true fans they do have are passionate about them. My apologies go to all the "true" Angel fans out there, those of you who have suffered long and hard with the team, and who have been so loyal that when attending a Halo contest you have actually arrived before the first pitch and stayed until after the seventh inning stretch. Certainly, you are a recipient of my most sincere and genuine apologies. All five of you, that is.

Great numbers of fans not supporting teams when they struggle is nothing unique to LA. Nevertheless, it is particularly bad here. Still though, if one can remember the Yankees when they were struggling in the late '80's and early '90's, they were hardly the rage that they now are in New York. If the Red Sox, who have as passionate a following as any, are at times playing in front of a half empty Fenway if they are suffering through a really tough season, then it is more than understandable that the ballpark next to the 57 sometimes has fewer people at a game than are on the waiting list at Riviera Country Club. But the difference is that teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox have a relatively large base of fans who are with the team through thick and thin.

True, the Yankees have a lot more thick than thin. But come on Angel fans-that just makes the one time the team is good that much sweeter. It could be worse, Angels fans; you could have to root for the Red Sox and just have a lot of heartache and misery. The bottom line is that both the Yanks and the Sox, along with teams like the Cubs, Mets, Giants and Cardinals have a large and genuine group of fans who are always fans, not just fans when the team is winning. A scant few teams, such as the Expos, have really no fans at all win or lose, but that is why they should move. And besides, Canada doesn't really count for much anyway.

Most other Major League teams-even the Dodgers here in beautiful LA-have at least a core following of fans who are of this passionate and loyal nature. Be it the fans in Oakland banging on their drums and chanting for Miguel Tejada, the "Birdmen" in KC rooting for their ace pitcher, the good people of Milwaukee eating bratwurst, sausage, drinking beer and rooting for their "boys of Bud," or the people in Philadelphia chanting nasty obscenities at the opponent and supporting their Phillies, the hardcore fan does exist in these places. When you find more than a handful of hardcore Angel fans here in Southern California, please let me know, but do excuse me if I'm having dinner, Jim Morrison.