This Day in Angels Baseball: May 26th, 1962

May 26, 1962 at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City the Los Angeles Angels lost to the Kansas City Athletics 8-7. Dean Chance would last only 2 1/3 innings, giving up 5 runs, and after the Angels would rally to tie the game in the ninth, Art Fowler would lose in the bottom of the inning. The Angels offense would be led by a home run from Leon Wagner (2-4, 2 runs scored, 2 RBI) and Lee Thomas, who would hit 2 home runs, score twice and drive in 4. Lee Thomas would be traded to the Angels in their first season from the New York Yankees and become a starter for them that year, playing both first base and in the outfield. In his first full season with the Angels, Thomas would hit 24 home runs and drive in 70 while batting .284. His best year would come in 1962 when he hit 26 home runs with 104 RBI’s, batting .290, and making the American League All-Star team. Thomas would be traded around mid-season to the Boston Red Sox in 1964.