Interview Conducted by David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
October 4, 2010
When Chuck Richter interviewed Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl in 2009, he wrote “This concludes our interview with Dennis Kuhl, to which now after our chat is known by me as Dennis ‘Cool’". Now I know why Chuck would say that; Dennis Kuhl is 'Mr. Cool.'” When I first emailed him to arrange for an interview, I addressed him formally as “Mr. Kuhl.” His response to me was “First of all, it’s Dennis. How about grabbing a sandwich on Monday the 4th?” How cool was that—lunch and insistence on a first-name basis!
Dennis is a people-person. And, he pays attention to details, especially the important little details. At lunch, he knew the waitress’ and hostess’ names. He told me how much he stresses that with the people in the organization; he said “it’s the little touches that count the most.” He keeps hats and spare souvenirs in his car trunk just because he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to share the joy of Angels baseball with a child.
That care and attention to detail is evident in all that Dennis does for the Angels. Whether it’s getting the stadium and team ready for the All-Star Game or preparing for the upcoming 50th Anniversary Season, Dennis makes sure that the little touches aren’t missed. Dennis and the rest of the Angels worked for years to make the All-Star Game celebration as wonderful as it was for the fans, and are working just as hard to make the 50th Anniversary season a year-long celebration of the team’s history.
At the same time, Dennis is a passionate baseball fan. Talking baseball with him is fun. He cares deeply about the Angels; today was hard for him because the team didn’t make the post season. He talked about his first game as a kid (a Yankees game) and how he admired the color of the grass and wondered why the stadium’s PA announcer didn’t call all the plays like they did on the TV and radio. He’s the kind of guy with whom you’d love to meet at a bar or have sit next to you at the ballpark. He loves his job, and it shows.
Dennis isn’t shy about displeasure that the team had with their performance on the field. That displeasure was felt from the players all the way up to the owner. He expects the Angels to have a busy offseason and that it will be a full hot stove season for the Angels. Likewise, he knows that Mr. Moreno wants to win and has been very open with the team about his willingness to do what it takes to get back to the championship level.
While 2010 is over for the Angels, 2011 is already on the horizon. Angels fans have a lot to look forward to this offseason and next year. With a busy offseason, a fan cruise, and the 50th Anniversary Season all upcoming, I’m already looking forward to next year!
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