Angels Radio Broadcaster Terry Smith: Get Some Balls

terrysmith.jpg
On the drive back from Rio Hondo College in Whittier yesterday, I managed to hear Angel Talk for the first time. It's the call-in show that follows any game by your Anaheim Angels and is hosted by Angels radio broadcaster Terry Smith. Yesterday, people called in whining about shortstop Erick Aybar not performing (although I saw him on Sportscenter's Top Plays yesterday...), how there are too many Halos fans who don't remember the lean years of the 1970s, and other such diamond minutiae. To be honest, I tuned out most of the back-and-forth between fans and Smith: pleasant enough, but dull. Besides, I'm a Cubs fan.

My inattention changed with one Tom of San Diego. He started his call by saying he was a longtime season-ticket holder until this year. His reason for not renewing? Too many Latinos on the team.

I was actually driving on the 5 Freeway at this point instead of texting away in traffic, so I couldn't take notes. But Tom's rationale will forever remain in my mind. He said that the recent influx of Latinos in the major leagues would ruin the "American" sport, that none of the Angels' Latino players spoke English and therefore "Americans" couldn't connect to the players (wonder what his response is to tow-headed kiddies and their Vlad Guerrero jerseys?) and that seeing the Angels' Latino players made any Halos home game seem as if "it was in Mexico," an absolutely hilarious proposition considering owner Arte Moreno and that the team's two players of Mexican heritage, third baseman Freddy Sandoval and closer Brian Fuentes, played college ball and are pochos. Of course, Tom wasn't racist, proclaiming he had friends of many races, but he just couldn't go to games anymore and support teams with so few Americans.

Smith's weak response after the jump!

Smith could've easily lit into Tom of San Diego for his contradictory, racist remarks. Instead, he--to use baseball jargon--struck out. "You're entitled to your own opinions," Smith meekly uttered and said he disagreed with Tom. But instead of calling the pendejo a racist, or even defending the team's Latino players and staff, Smith went on to extol the team's American virtues! He even said some of the Latinos on the team speak good English!

The following caller after Tom of San Diego rightfully blasted Tom, while Smith just muttered his agreement. First time I listened to Angel Talk, and the last. If a supposed homer like Smith can't muster a strong defense against racist "fans" like Tom of San Diego, what good is he for?

Comments (16)

Cesar says:

Why the fuck do you think I am not an Angels fan? That same mindset is what drove me AWAY from that pendejo organization during my early childhood years. The early '80's saw nothing but pinchi old white fart players well beyond their prime. They would sprinkle, perhaps, at best a few morenitos just to add some coloring. And now that you see nothin' but Latinos on the team, their typical white-bread, xenophobic fan base can't help but feel uncomfortable. It took millions of innings in order for the Angels organization to realize they are right next to Santana, the state's second most Latino populated city and, thus, righfully pander to the Latinos. But, then again, that would only mean more Mexicans at the Big A, something those pinchi gabacho fans cannot easily accept. That's why I stay with my Doyers who truly know how to market to ALL demographics. You may have the puto rally monkey but we have tradition and REAL baseball without the need of lights, sounds, and lasers. You will ALWAYS be second best to LA, no matter the player demographic. But fret not, you are leading us in one thing this year: fan deaths!
Rest in peace Gene Autry, right next to John Birch and John Wayne.

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 3:45PM
El Gringo says:

Guess the caller had not noticed, among other things, that Los Doyers, while in their Brooklyn days broke the color line with Jackie Robinson, and nobody was too upset when that chunky kid from México was winning games for them (Fernando Valenzuela had not yet learned to speak English).
Can't say for sure, but it seems to me that the Anaheim Angels have always had Latinos in addition to whites and players of African ancestry, too.
Does Anaheim still enforce the law prohibiting the tossing of tortillas?

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 4:17PM
occracker says:

Wanna really feel like you are in Mexico? Try a Dodger game.

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 5:43PM
Cesar says:

Fuck you, OC Cracker. Doyer Stadium doesn't make me feel like I'm in Mexico. I don't see no pinchi anti-swine flu surgical masks on the fans, do you? All I see is chinos, negros, raza, honkeys, and a sprinkling of some Guatemalan wabs. Now that is a real meltin pot not like what you get at an Angels game Klan rally.

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 8:43PM
Publius says:

Growing up in the northern corner of OC (213 then, 562 now) I should be a Dodger fan.
But my dad knew too many residents of Chavez Ravine who were displaced by the City of LA in their deal with the O'Malley's to bring the Dodgers west.
As a result we were not allowed to support the Dodgers in any way, so I became an Angel fan by default.
Can anyone help me find the iconic photo of the old Mexican woman on her porch with her gun as the officers came to evict her from the Ravine? I'd love to send it to some friends who are big fans of Los Doyers!

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 9:40PM
Cesar says:

Better yet, Pubicus, come snatch a picture of me standing in my front porch holding a cuerno de chivo as I await pendejo Carona as he attempts to come over to screw my wife.


The whole Chavez Ravine was def a debacle. Check out Ry Cooders excellent work on that.

Go Doyers!

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 9:46PM
fuck the angels says:

Fuck the ANgels

Posted On: Friday, May. 1 2009 @ 4:42AM
Gustavo Arellano says:

Cesar: As always, you are the true sage of Orange County!
OCCracker: I go to both Dodgers and Angels games, and I see way more wabs at Angels games than at Dodgers. Idiot.

Posted On: Friday, May. 1 2009 @ 10:56AM
rodr says:

No Surprise here folks, the head bigot Gustavo weighing in on a topic with racial overtones. And by the way, Gustavo, you are way wrong. As an avid baseball fan who actually goes to both Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium there are way more "Wabs" as you call them at Dodger Stadium. Thanks for confirming one other thing about yourself. You're a liar.

Posted On: Sunday, May. 3 2009 @ 2:21PM
Gustavo Arellano says:

Don't know where you sit at Chavez Ravine, "rodr" (you should use your other pseudonyms once in a while, you know?), but you're wrong!

Posted On: Sunday, May. 3 2009 @ 2:27PM
rodr says:

I sit many places and you're still wrong. Try actually going to a game one time instead of pretending. You must of missed all the dirty diapers, corn cobs and half eaten churros in the parking lot at "Chavez Ravine." Please try to get with the baseball program before you shoot your mouth off. Hey racist kettle, the pot is calling.

Posted On: Sunday, May. 3 2009 @ 6:25PM
Gustavo Arellano says:

Oh, you're rich, troll! Do you have access to my calendars of the past couple of years to determine when I went to games? I probably went to more Angels/Dodgers games combined than the number of pseudonyms you've used on our blogs! Go back to defending story-changing sheriff's deputies and leave the reporting to the big boys, "rodr."

Posted On: Sunday, May. 3 2009 @ 9:50PM
JP says:

I was born & raised about 15 minutes from Angel stadium and still live there but cut me open and I bleed Dodger Blue!My dad is from New York & watched the Dodgers in Brooklyn. My 1st baseball game was a Dodgers game when I was 5 months old...a playoff game which later the real LA went on to win the WS for a multiple time since being in LA. Growing up I don't remember anybody caring about who you rooted for especially in such angry ways as now. I have been to many Dodgers and Angels games. Had season seats at both even (angels not really by choice) I can remember when the CA Angels had like maybe 15-20,000 in attendance. No Fanbase really until Scoscia was named coach and things were looking up...A former NL player and he knew how to beat the NL.I don't think there is any TRUE rivalry between the teams because they have never played a game that was of any importance against each other & I don't believe there was ever a rivalry until 2002 when Angels won 1 WS & rubbed it in everyone's faces all over the MLB, not just Dodgers fans. How you pulled that off is a whole other story. Until then the Dodgers were the only team to hold WS titles in California. Padres had gone to the dance once only to get killed That was just the beginning...Present day--New Mexi owner who for "marketing purposes" ixnayed the Anaheim and "brought back" the Los Angeles. WTF?? really? Still to this day I have never heard an Angels fan refer to their team as L.A. & have never seen a piece of Angels merchandise with Los Angeles/LA on it. Anywhere!How do you go from a team that represents an entire state (CA),to then generalizing your location to Anaheim & your team became THE team in OC only to have LA added on & think you are anywhere near the team the Dodgers were/are. Adding the LA crossed the line and really kicked off the rivalry! Thanks to your used car salesman of an owner! The media was all over that quickstyle. Smart Angels fans know that a team being from a city that they are 40 miles away from is stupid! I agree with Cesar about Santa Ana...Why not really go for the OC & hispanic ( & don't forget the oc'ers that transplanted to the 909) market & name the team the Santa Ana Angels? Oh that's right the white folk and the rich latinos would be "like so ewwwwed out"...WTF?? I'm a white girl who is marrying a Mexican and HE's the Angel fan...hence the Angels season seats. This story pisses me off too because this Tom of San Diego character is a fool. Does he not remeber Mr. Moreno saying that he wanted the team to be mostly latinos?! Dodgers were 1st in diversity of any team in MLB obviously...but really who cares. Ultimately what I'm saying is I've never had to defend my Boys in Blue as much as I do now and I blame it on Angel fans...Do you even know how many f'ed up text meassages i got from Angels fans in the'08 post-season when LA lost to the Phillies. Did I do that when you choked AGAIN against Boston? Your 100 wins down the drain? No. And on the morning that Manny got suspended...I never heard the end of it. And on my birthday some bitch ass waitress (who claims she couldn't go to a game since the death of Adenhart--which was very sad but this was like a month and a half later...wouldn't he want his fans to still go? weird?) at an Anaheim restaurant gave me shit for being a Dodgers fan while serving me...who does that? Luckily for me Im not your average girl and I know sports, especially the Dodgers so she had no replies to me except she just said "Manny. How's that make you feel?) Ummm...Fine cuz with or without him they are still #1 & honestly I believe Angels fans hate it. They're no longer the best in SoCal. It's not like he was the first and he definitely wont be the last...Sosa!Either way,Go to Dodger Stadium and you will see latinos, cholos from East Los or whatever the haters say...Go to Angel stadium and you will see the same breed from the OC version of East LA...SANTA ANA, hell even Anacrime residents and then you get your 909ers--those white guys are a nuisance in their own right. I could go on...i've lived here my WHOLE life. No matter where you go there are going to be other races...i don't understand why anyone cares because it is not about that. Its fucking baseball you cry babies! So to all the LA haters...Get over it! Get over yourselves! Get over the fact that we won 5 WS titles (not counting Brooklyn) in the time it took you to win 1. I won't stop believing ever! I WILL see the Dodgers win another WS title in my lifetime. But if they don't I don't care because I'm a real fan, a baseball fan, and Real Fans stick by their team no matter what...win, lose, or any changes that their team goes through. I know they will win again though!

To the rest of you that posted on here...El Gringo, you don't make sense. OCCracker you are just lame. and rodr you are an absolute fool...don't say Dodger stadium is dirty cuz we werent the ones a bunch of health code violations and a rat infestation...so YOU need to get with the program my friend...especially if you are such an avid baseball fan...i think you're the liar! Gustavo- I've seen more idiots and fights (started by Angels fans) at Angel games recently than Dodgers games in a long time. And finally...Cesar-you rock for knowing the Ry Cooder song. I love it! The Angels radio guys bug...will never have a Vin Scully either. He should have just cut the caller off but whatever. Sorry for the rant but the story pissed me off and then i read the comments and was bugged more. You don't root for a team based on the race of their fans. UGGGHHH! OK. Im done and hope you all enjoyed being school by a white chick Dodger fan from the OC. haha!!!
Go Dodgers!!!

Posted On: Thursday, Jun. 18 2009 @ 3:07AM
Jodi Hare says:

Terry Smith is a good radio announcer for the Angels. People don't be so mean to him. His father died yesterday.I l also like the Cubs there a good team to watch. I don't like the Dodgers.

Posted On: Monday, Jun. 22 2009 @ 1:31PM
Dan says:

Casar needs to watch his language. He really comes across as an idiot! He's a Pendejo!

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 6 2009 @ 2:17PM
Americana says:

Has anyone seen Arizona's major league baseball team? Did you hear the boycotts? Arizona has no Hispanics on its MLB Team. Now that's an insult.

Damn the OC with its hate filled legacy, times have changed but it's ugly past keeps rearing its head.

Posted On: Sunday, May. 2 2010 @ 11:22PM

Write Comment


Comments may not show up immediately after submission. Please wait a minute after posting a comment for it to appear.

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking "Post," you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Sign up for free stuff, news info & more!

Tools

Links