Editing Gene Autry (section)

=== Baseball ===
[[File:AngelsRetired26.png|right|thumb|150px|Gene Autry's number 26 was retired by the [[California Angels]] in 1982.]]
In the 1950s, Autry had been a minority owner of the minor-league [[Hollywood Stars]]. In 1960, when [[Major League Baseball]] announced plans to add an expansion team in Los Angeles, Autry—who had once declined an opportunity to play in the [[Minor League Baseball|minor leagues]]—expressed an interest in acquiring the radio broadcast rights to the team's games. Baseball executives were so impressed by his approach that he was persuaded to become the owner of the franchise rather than simply its broadcast partner. The team, initially called the [[Los Angeles Angels]] upon its 1961 debut, moved to suburban [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] in 1966, and was renamed the California Angels, then the Anaheim Angels from 1997 until 2005, when it became the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Autry served as vice president of the [[American League]] from 1983 until his death. In 1995, he sold a quarter share of the team to [[the Walt Disney Company]] and a controlling interest the following year, with the remaining share to be transferred after his death. Earlier, in 1982, he sold Los Angeles television station [[KTLA]] for $245&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rosenstiel |first1=Thomas B. |title=Tribune Co. Will Buy KTLA for $510 Million : Price Highest Ever for TV Station; Deal Expected to Force Firm to Sell Daily News in Van Nuys |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-17-mn-8823-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 17, 1985 |access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref> He also sold several radio stations he owned, including [[KZAC|KSFO]] in San Francisco, [[KMPC]] in Los Angeles, [[KOGO (AM)|KOGO]] in San Diego, and other stations in the [[Golden West radio network]].

The number 26 was retired by the Angels in Autry's honor. The chosen number reflected that baseball's rosters (at the time) had 25 men, so Autry's unflagging support for his team made him the "26th man" (see also the ''[[12th man (football)|12th man]]'', a similar concept in football). When the Angels finally won their first (and to date, only) [[2002 World Series|World Series championship in 2002]], star outfielder [[Tim Salmon]] held Autry's cowboy hat aloft during the on-field celebration, and the public address system played his hit song, "[[Back in the Saddle Again]]".