Garret Anderson, a graceful and enduring left fielder who set Los Angeles Angels franchise records for hits, games and runs batted in, died on Friday of a heart attack. Anderson, who led the Angels to their only championship in 2002, was 53 years old.
“The Angels Organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” said Angels Owner Arte Moreno. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series Championship.
“Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Garret’s wife Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, son Garret ‘Trey’ Anderson III, and his entire family.”
The Angels chose Anderson in the fourth round of the draft in 1990, and by the time he left to join the Atlanta Braves, in 2009, he had spent more than half his life with the organization. Anderson had played at John F. Kennedy High in Granada Hills, Calif., and the fit was perfect.
“It’s like a dream come true, because you grow up looking at them on TV,” Anderson told the Los Angeles Times, after turning down Fresno State to sign with the Angels. “Little kids have dreams of playing at home.”
Neither side could have known the fantasy that awaited. The Angels, founded in 1961, had reached the American League Championship Series three times in Anderson’s childhood, but always fell short of the pennant. They endured more heartbreak in his rookie season, in 1995, when they fumbled an 11-game division lead and missed the playoffs.
By 2002, though, they had coalesced around a homegrown core: Anderson, Tim Salmon, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus and Bengie Molina in the lineup; Jarrod Washburn, John Lackey, Troy Percival and Francisco Rodriguez on the pitching staff.
They ripped through the AL playoffs — Anderson hit .316 against the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins — but dropped three of the first five World Series games to the San Francisco Giants.
Trailing 5-0 in Game 6, the Angels rallied to win, with Anderson singling just before Glaus’ go-ahead double in the eighth. The next night, Anderson played the hero, with a three-run double in the third inning that gave the Angels the margin of victory in a 4-1 triumph.
“I knew if Garret had the opportunity to do something, he would do it,” hitting coach Mickey Hatcher told the San Francisco Chronicle after Game 7. “He’s that kind of player. Today, we needed Garret — and, boom, he was there.”
He always seemed to be. Through name changes (California, Anaheim, Los Angeles), ownership changes, stadium renovations and more, Anderson was a franchise fixture, helping build the second team in the Los Angeles market into a first-rate attraction.
In Anderson’s first non-strike season, 1996, the Angels drew 1.8 million fans. In 2003, the year after their championship, the Angels began a streak of 17 seasons with at least 3 million fans.
Anderson was a quiet, stoic presence who never seemed to seek the spotlight; in many ways, the definition of a solid professional. After the championship, the Angels would win four AL West titles with Anderson, and they followed his lead as an offense.
When Anderson came to bat, he was ready to swing — he never drew more than 38 walks in a season, but also never fanned more than 100 times. He did not steal many bases, but ran hard and aggressively, twice leading the American League in doubles. He topped 30 homers only once, but pitchers had to respect his power, which he showed off at the 2003 All-Star Game at the Chicago White Sox’s home ballpark.
Anderson won the Home Run Derby, beating Albert Pujols in the final. His sweet left-handed swing — like Will Clark or Ken Griffey Jr., with less fanfare — carried over into the All-Star Game, when he homered again and was named MVP.
“That swing that I was using tonight is not a swing that I try to use during the season,” Anderson said after the Derby. “It was just strictly for trying to hit balls over the fence. During the season, mentally and physically, I don’t do that. I look for mistakes and try to hit them hard.”
The 2003 season was the fourth in a row in which Anderson had at least 28 homers and 116 runs batted in, always hitting a bit below or a bit above .300. He was remarkably consistent: During 14 seasons as an Angel, after a five-game cameo in 1994, he hit between .280 and .321. Life under the halo suited him.
“I never thought about leaving, ever,” he said after signing a four-year contract extension in 2004. “They were going to have to nudge me out of the door. I couldn’t see myself wearing another uniform.”
He finally did in 2009, after the Angels declined an option year on his contract. After one year with the Braves and another with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Anderson retired with 2,529 hits, a .293 average and a powerful legacy as one of the most important and cherished figures in the history of the Angels.
