<P> The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball franchise based in Anaheim , California . The Angels compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The Angels have played home games at Angel Stadium since 1966 . The current Major League franchise was established as an expansion team in 1961 by Gene Autry , the team 's first owner . The `` Angels '' name was taken by Autry in tribute to the original Los Angeles Angels , a Minor League franchise in the Pacific Coast League ( PCL ) , which played in South Central Los Angeles from 1903 to 1957 . He bought the rights to the Angels name from Walter O'Malley , the then - Los Angeles Dodgers owner , who acquired the PCL franchise from Philip K. Wrigley , the owner of the parent Chicago Cubs at the time , as part of the Dodgers ' move to Southern California . </P>
<P> The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball franchise based in Anaheim , California . The Angels compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) West division . The Angels have played home games at Angel Stadium since 1966 . The current Major League franchise was established as an expansion team in 1961 by Gene Autry , the team 's first owner . The `` Angels '' name was taken by Autry in tribute to the original Los Angeles Angels , a Minor League franchise in the Pacific Coast League ( PCL ) , which played in South Central Los Angeles from 1903 to 1957 . He bought the rights to the Angels name from Walter O'Malley , the then - Los Angeles Dodgers owner , who acquired the PCL franchise from Philip K. Wrigley , the owner of the parent Chicago Cubs at the time , as part of the Dodgers ' move to Southern California . </P>
when did the angels became the los angeles angels
when did the angels became the los angeles angels
1961
1961