Fans might not know the identity of the older man in the Angels uniform observing workouts and games at the minor league complex, but Bobby Knoop is there just about every day that school is in session for the youngest of the Angels farmhands.

The 78-year-old former big league second baseman and major league coach watches workouts and games from his ubiquitous lawn chair, perched behind the fence on one of the complex fields. Here he can get a good view of what's happening on the field, occasionally taking breaks between innings to work on the crossword puzzle from the daily newspaper. At times, he'll head to a side field to hit fungoes and give individual instruction to infielders. During the Arizona League season or when there's an extended spring training game in Tempe Diablo Stadium, he settles into a seat on the concourse level, where he gets a bird's eye view of the field.

Bottom line--if there's baseball happening at the Angels minor league complex, Knoop is likely nearby.

Knoop's professional career dates back to 1956 when the Southern California teenager signed with the Milwaukee Braves. Selected by the Angels in the December 1963 Rule 5 draft, Knoop made his big league debut in 1964, launching a playing career that spanned nine seasons with the Angels, White Sox and Royals. Regarded as one of the best defensive second basemen of his era, Knoop won three Gold Gloves. In his best years he teamed with All-Star shortstop Jim Fregosi, who played 18 years in the bigs followed by a 15-year managerial career.

"He was my teammate, of course, but more than that he was my roommate," Knoop said about the late Fregosi, ". . . my closest and dearest friend in baseball."

Knoop's acrobatic movements around the keystone earned him the nickname "Nureyev," after Rudolph Nureyev, the Russian ballet dancer of the era. That name was coined by Angels beat writers after Knoop told them his mother insisted he take ballet lessons as a child.