ANAHEIM : Boosters Will Rally for ‘Autry Stadium’

The California Angels booster club is at it again in its quest to change the name of Anaheim Stadium to Gene Autry Stadium. This time, the booster club is turning its annual picnic today into a rally for the cause.

The picnic at Hart Park in Orange will serve as something of a brainstorming session as the group prepares to again take the request to the City Council on Tuesday night, said Ann Newberry, vice president of the club.

Earlier this month, the group presented the city with about 140 signatures on a petition supporting the name change, Newberry said another 150 signatures have been collected since then.

“I’m amazed people in general are very receptive to the proposal,” Newberry said.

The city-owned stadium, which will be 25 years old in 1991, was built when Angels owner Autry decided to bring his baseball club to Anaheim. It will be up to the city to decide whether to change the stadium’s name.

Greg Smith, stadium manager, said the city has not yet taken any position on the informal proposal.

Council members in the past have given various responses to the proposal. Mayor Fred Hunter, for example, has expressed an interest in taking up the issue, while Councilman Irv Pickler and others have been reluctant to make a name change.

The group is shooting for Autry’s birthday Sept. 29 to announce the name change. Autry will turn 83 this year. The 400-member booster club wants the official name change to take place next spring to coincide with the stadium’s silver anniversary.