The Los Angeles Angels honored the late Garret Anderson during their game on Friday, April 17, against the San Diego Padres.
The team wore a memorial patch during the game in Anderson’s honor, and will wear that patch for the remainder of the season. They also played a video tribute at Angels Stadium and held a moment of silence before the game.
“He was a baseball player, and he did everything right,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki told MLB.com of Anderson. “There was nothing flashy. … He never pimped home runs. That’s who I want my kids to model themselves after. Just play the game right, do the things right, and never bring attention to yourself.”
Suzuki played with Anderson during his MLB career.
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The Angels went on to win 8-0 on Friday in dominant fashion on a night honoring one of the greats.
Anderson, a three-time All-Star and staple of the Angels franchise, died on Thursday, April 16 after suffering a “medical emergency” at his home in Newport Beach, California. He was 53.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Angels Hall of Famer Garret Anderson,” the team posted via social media on Friday. “Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond.”
The two-time Silver Slugger — who played almost his entire career with the Angels — holds the franchise records for games played, at bats, hits, runs, RBIs, total bases, extra base hits, singles, doubles and grand slams. He was the foundation of the team during its 2002 World Series championship run.
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“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “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.”
Anderson is survived by his wife, Teresa, his daughters, Brianne and Bailey, and his son, Garret ‘Trey’ Anderson III.
He was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016.
“Being a good teammate goes a long way with a lot of people,” he said at the time. “If you go out and respect your teammates and pull for ‘em and give ‘em tough love when you have to, it goes a long way. … So that was the biggest compliment for me, people saying I was a good teammate.”
