Rudy's in the Pitchers' Pack as an Angel (and
Baseball-Birthdays posted a lovely 1969 image upthread), but that's as a California Angel. Rudy debuted in 1965 for the Los Angeles Angels—
—wait,
what? The Angels were "California" in 1965, it's in the encyclopedias that way! Rudy's Baseball-Reference page even says so.
Well, apparently the name change happened
in-season, on September 2, 1965. Once Gene Autry had finalized the move to Anaheim, he changed the name, immediately. Even though the Angels were still playing their home games at "Chavez Ravine" (to be renamed Dodger Stadium once the renters were out). Huh.
(I didn't know this until about an hour ago. I was like "that's the wrong cap…unless it's a spring training picture in the 1964 uniforms…but that's a big-league park. What's going on?" But Rudy was with the team all year, both the "Los Angeles" and "California" versions. So the "LA" hat is not anachronistic, after all. Huh.)
I also have another image, but Topps watermarked the heck out of his face here. I don't know how to remove watermarks, but perhaps someone more skilled will take a shot?
