<P> Stymied in his attempt to get a new stadium in Los Angeles , Autry looked elsewhere . His first choice for a stadium was the site offered by the city of Long Beach . However , the city insisted that the team be renamed the Long Beach Angels , a condition Autry refused to accept . He was able to strike a deal with the suburban city of Anaheim in Orange County , and construction began on Anaheim Stadium ( nicknamed The Big A by Southern Californians ) , where the Angels moved in 1966 . On September 2 , 1965 , team ownership announced the Los Angeles Angels would thenceforth be known as the California Angels , in anticipation of the team 's move to Anaheim the following year . They were the second Major League baseball team to be named after an entire state , following the Minnesota Twins . At the time , though they were one of three major league teams in the state of California , the Angels were the only American League team in the state . ( After the move of the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland in 1968 and the establishment of the San Diego Padres in 1969 , the Angels retained their California moniker through 1996 despite any objections that other California teams may have had . ) They were also the first Major League Baseball team established in California ( the Dodgers and Giants were from New York , the A 's were from Philadelphia via Kansas City , and the Padres were an expansion team in 1969 . ) </P>
<P> Stymied in his attempt to get a new stadium in Los Angeles , Autry looked elsewhere . His first choice for a stadium was the site offered by the city of Long Beach . However , the city insisted that the team be renamed the Long Beach Angels , a condition Autry refused to accept . He was able to strike a deal with the suburban city of Anaheim in Orange County , and construction began on Anaheim Stadium ( nicknamed The Big A by Southern Californians ) , where the Angels moved in 1966 . On September 2 , 1965 , team ownership announced the Los Angeles Angels would thenceforth be known as the California Angels , in anticipation of the team 's move to Anaheim the following year . They were the second Major League baseball team to be named after an entire state , following the Minnesota Twins . At the time , though they were one of three major league teams in the state of California , the Angels were the only American League team in the state . ( After the move of the Kansas City Athletics to Oakland in 1968 and the establishment of the San Diego Padres in 1969 , the Angels retained their California moniker through 1996 despite any objections that other California teams may have had . ) They were also the first Major League Baseball team established in California ( the Dodgers and Giants were from New York , the A 's were from Philadelphia via Kansas City , and the Padres were an expansion team in 1969 . ) </P>
when did the california angels change their name
when did the california angels change their name
September 2 , 1965
September 2 , 1965