The Rally Monkey

By Mad Love
Senior Love God

Going to an Angels game in Los Angeles ... oops, sorry, I mean Anaheim ... is actually a pretty fun time.

The “Big A” is easy to get to, right off the I-5 Freeway, just one block South of the Disneyland exit, parking isn’t all that difficult (even when you show up late), the seats are all good and the people are super nice.

It really is a win/win situation, despite it being a cool hour drive from my home in Beverly Hills. It doesn’t help that the I-5 is one of the busiest freeways anywhere in the world, and all games start at 7:05pm. But once you brave the traffic and get inside the park, you realize you’re glad you came.

The fans themselves don’t get too riled up, but they know their baseball. They cheer at the correct times, rarely boo their team OR the opposition, they dine on sushi and chear beer and they love their animals ... in particular, the Rally Monkey.

I’ve been to Angel games before, but rarely have I been witness to the effect the Rally Monkey has on this fan base.

When Tough Love and I took the trip to Anaheim this past weekend, we became witnesses to it once again.

The Rally Monkey, you may remember, became a national phenomenon during the 2002 playoffs, when the Angels made a furious run through the Yankees , Twins and Giants to win their first-ever World Series title.

That team made a habit of coming back late in ballgames, often giving their opponents the early lead, but never quitting. The idol of their prayers that season was the Rally Monkey, who often made his appearance in either the eighth or ninth inning (or both), and the team rarely let him down.

The Monkey still lives in Anaheim, and it’s as popular as ever. As long as you - the fan - doesn’t break the rules of the Monkey (and yes, there ARE rules for him - http://www.rallymonkey.com/features.php?art=et), then you’ll be able to witness the passion he still embarks on the team.

When we were there, the Halos trailed the Orioles going into the bottom of the ninth inning, 4-2. Out of nowhere, the Rally Monkey appeared. It started slow, as the big screens in left and right field started showing a clip from Poltergeist, in which the little girl was looking at the snow of the TV screen. The girl keeps saying “they’re heeeerrrrre,” while you hear nothing but static on the other end. After about three of four times, all of a sudden the face of the Rally Monkey pops up on the TV screen and the crowd goes absolutely ballistic!

Here’s another example, of which there are several....

Rally Monkey dolls and thousands of Thundersticks instantly appear and the stadium is transformed into a completely different place.

At this moment, the Angels immediately placed runners on first and second with nobody out. They proceed to score a run to cut the lead to 4-3 with men on second and third, and you couldn’t hear yourself think.

What happened next you can’t blame on the Monkey, as Mike Scioscia insisted on pinch-hitting an obviously rusty Juan Rivera, who popped to the first baseman on the first pitch, then allowed Reggie Willits to hit with two outs. Willits also meekly popped out to the infield, and the fans - and the Monkey - all went home miserable.

However, without the Monkey’s presence to begin with, there’s no telling how that inning would’ve gone. Only the entrance of Francisco Rodriguez in the top of the ninth inning gets this place nearly as excited as the Rally Monkey does, which makes Angels Stadium one of the unique venues in all of sports.

Each park and stadium and arena around the world has something that makes it unique. In this case, it’s a stuffed monkey, which you just have to love. If you have the opportunity, go out and check out the rock pile in left center, the waterfalls and the sushi bars of Angels Stadium. But more so than any other reason, come to check out the fever of the Rally Monkey, which still lives in this Southern California town.