If fans of the California Angels tuned into the CBS television show M*A*S*H on February 27, 1977, they would have seen familiar names during the closing credits—the Angels’ infield: Grich, Chalk, Remy, and Solita [sic].
Tony Solaita—First Base
Jerry Remy—Second Base
Bobby Grich—Shortstop
Dave Chalk—Third Base
M*A*S*H exhibited the antics, anguish, and anger of doctors, nurses, and other staff of the fictional Mobile Army Surgical Hospital #4077 during the Korean War. It was nicknamed the four-oh double-natural in the eponymous novel, which begat the eponymous film, which begat the eponymous television show, which aired from 1972 to 1983.
The episode “Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde” revolves around Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester III, a pompous sort, refusing to manage his rest. That, of course, sends him to the cusp of exhaustion. In turn, he uses amphetamines to endure.
During his blissful ignorance of addiction, Charles treats the company mouse, Daisy, with amphetamines before her race with Sluggo, a mouse champion from the Marine unit recovering in the postoperative ward. It induces bets from the 4077th personnel, who are unaware of Charles’s action, none making a bigger bet than Charles.
Hawkeye Pierce and B.J. Hunnicutt, Charles’s bunkmates, discover the egotistical surgeon after the race; his blood pressure is 160 over 100. In addition, he is suffering heart palpitations. Surmising that Charles’s condition is not a consequence of long hours in the Operating Room, they deduce—and confirm—that Charles is using amphetamines. Thereupon, Charles also admits to drugging Daisy.
According to the closing credits, the Marines are named Grich, Chalk, Remy, and Solita. Whether the misspelling of Tony Solaita’s name results from intent or accident is unknown.
Norm Sherry and Dave Garcia managed the 1977 Angels, each for half of the season—81 games. The team finished 5th in the American League West, compiled a 74-88 record, and scored 6th place in American League attendance.
The Angels were part of baseball history in the same year that John Travolta danced to box office success in Saturday Night Fever—they played the Seattle Marines on Opening Day, the first major league game for Queen City since the Pilots disbanded after one season.
Nolan Ryan, the Angels’ star hurler, had a banner year in ’77:
- 19-16 win-loss record
- 2.77 ERA
- Led major leagues in complete games (22)
- Led major leagues in strikeouts (341)
Frank Tanana, a Detroit native, also made a highly significant contribution:
- 15-9 win-loss record
- Led major leagues in shutouts (7)
- 2.54 ERA
Offensively, the best player on the Angels squad was Bobby Bonds, father of notorious slugger Barry Bonds—the patriarch bashed baseballs all over American League turfs:
- 37 home runs
- 156 hits
- Led Angels in games played (158)
- Tied for 2nd in home runs—with Graig Nettles—(37)
- 2nd in RBI (115)
- Tied for 3rd in stolen bases—with Jerry Remy (41)
- Tied for 3rd in sacrifice flies—with Rusty Staub and Carlton Fisk—(10)
- Tied for 4th in extra base hits—with Al Cowens—(69)
- Tied for 7th in runs scored—with George Scott—(103)
- Tied for 8th in plate appearances—with Cecil Cooper and Duane Kuiper—(679)
- 6th in total bases (308)
A version of this article appeared on www.thesportspost.com on June 29, 2016.