The Big A Sign

Lore & Background

The halo lights up after every Angels win (regardless of whether it happens at home or on the road), which gives rise to the catchphrase "Light That Baby Up!" amongst Angels fans. (When Dick Enberg was an Angels broadcaster in the 1970s, he would punctuate the team's victories with the phrase "And the halo shines tonight!")

In Their Own Story

The sun dips below the horizon over the Santa Ana freeways, casting long shadows across the empty diamond. Inside the stadium, the air is still and cool, but then a soft hum begins as the maintenance crew flips the switch at the top of the left-field wall. Instantly, the Big A ignites, its neon wings glowing with a warm, inviting amber light against the deepening blue sky. It stands alone in the twilight, a silent sentinel waiting for the roar of the crowd to return.

Reader's Guide

The sign was erected in 1966 outside then-Anaheim Stadium specifically to hold the scoreboard. The $1 million construction cost was covered by Standard Oil of California in exchange for a 10-year advertising rights deal on the sign. The sign was initially colored white and stood beyond the left field wall. At the time of its construction it was the tallest structure in Orange County, at 23 stories tall. In 1979, one year before the Los Angeles Rams moved in, Anaheim Stadium was retrofitted to make it suitable to host American football games, including all decks of seating wrapping around the entire stadium. As a result, the Big A Sign was moved from its position overlooking the stadium into the parking lot, despite protests from Angels fans and owners. Approximately 1,000 people came to watch the sign be moved. However, after it had been moved approximately, one of the dollies started to tilt the sign, requiring the seven-hour move to be postponed until the next day. In 1995, when the Rams moved out of Angel Stadium to become the St. Louis Rams, a number of the 1979 retrofits were removed. As a result, there were proposals to move the sign back to its original location. However, this did not occur owing to the cost of moving it and because it had become a good meeting place for fans and afforded the Angels the opportunity to advertise to passing motorists. Since its move to the parking lot, the Big A Sign has been used to advertise for the Angels' sponsors, and the old scoreboard has been used as an electronic marquee to promote upcoming Major League Baseball games to passing motorists on the nearby freeway. The halo on the top of the sign lights up to signify to passersby and nearby motorists that the Angels have won a game. In 2017, the electrical system of the Big A Sign was tampered with, possibly in an attempt to charge a cell phone, as part of an outbreak of vandalism around Angel Stadium. A county supervisor said "the voltage on the ‘Big A’ is so high that you have to have a special certification just to get inside the fence. This guy could have been fried."

Did You Know?

• The Big A Sign was originally installed in 1966 behind the left field fence.
• The sign was moved to the parking lot in 1979, one year before the Los Angeles Rams started sharing the stadium.
• The halo lights up after every Angels win, whether at home or on the road.
• In 2017, the sign's electrical system was tampered with, possibly in an attempt to charge a cell phone.

Origins and Construction

Constructed in 1966, this monumental structure was originally designed to serve as a scoreboard for the then-Anaheim Stadium. Standing an impressive 230 feet tall, it initially held the distinction of being the tallest building in Orange County, rising equivalent to 23 stories above the left field wall. The project carried a price tag of one million dollars, a sum fully funded by Standard Oil of California in exchange for exclusive advertising rights for a decade. At its inception, the sign was painted white and positioned directly behind the outfield fence, serving as a prominent visual anchor for the ballpark before it ever adopted its iconic red hue or halo.

Relocation and Stadium Evolution

The sign's physical journey reflects the changing landscape of the stadium itself. In 1979, preparations to host the Los Angeles Rams necessitated significant retrofits, including seating decks that wrapped entirely around the venue. Consequently, the Big A was relocated from its prime outfield position to the parking lot, a move that sparked protests from both fans and ownership despite approximately 1,000 spectators gathering to witness the event. The relocation proved perilous; after moving just ten feet, a dolly malfunction caused the structure to tilt, forcing a seven-hour delay until operations could resume safely the following day.

The Halo Tradition

Perhaps the most beloved feature of the sign is the halo perched atop its peak, which serves as a beacon for team success. This light illuminates whenever the Angels secure a victory, regardless of whether the game was played at home or on the road. The tradition has inspired enduring catchphrases among supporters, such as "Light That Baby Up!" and broadcaster Dick Enberg's 1970s declaration that "the halo shines tonight." This glowing symbol transforms the sign from a static landmark into an active participant in the team's narrative, instantly signaling triumph to passersby and fans alike.

Modern Utility and Preservation

Following its move to the parking lot, the sign evolved into a dual-purpose asset for marketing and community gathering. The structure now hosts advertisements for various Angels sponsors, while the former scoreboard functions as an electronic marquee promoting upcoming games to motorists on adjacent freeways. Although proposals arose in 1995 to return it to its original field-side location after the Rams departed, high costs and its value as a fan meeting spot kept it in place.