Carney Lansford. Indeed I remember him. One of the most exciting seasons of my life was rooting for the Angels of 1979. One of the many things that helped change the Angels from pretenders into their first ever playoff team was 21-year-old prospect Carney Lansford quickly establishing himself at third base in 1978 and following it up with a tough as nails sophomore season. His numbers weren't gaudy, but if ever there was a "dirt dog" it was Carney Lansford. He blossomed in Boston and Oakland, but he cut his teeth inc California.
That 1979 Angels positional lineup was studded with name players. Rod Carew at 2B, Don Baylor and Joe Rudi as corner OFers-DH, and Bobby Grich at 2B to start with, all imports.
Young Lansford at third next to a past-his-prime Bert Campaneris. A breakout season by Brian Downing at C, plus solid spear-carrier Dan Ford in RF, the fleet Rick Miller in CF. Merv Rettenmund available to PH.
Cup o' coffee for young infielder Dickie Thon. Last hurrahs for Willie Davis and Ralph Garr.
First ever Angels' playoff games. After they dropped the first two in Baltimore, they came home on a Friday night for their first home playoff game. I camped out overnight in the Angel stadium parking lot with some friends to get tickets. Given it's importance, it may have been the most exciting game I ever attended, a miracle win with the game-winning, tenth-inning single delivered by a nobody, Larry Harlow. That inning and it's climax took place in the midst of a pandemonious stadium such as I have never seen before or since. Truly, I feared that the concrete pilings of the stadium were going to collapse. Sometimes I'm given to fish stories, but this is not one of them.
Carney Lansford? Do I remember him? Oh YEAH!