'He would have loved it': Rays induct 'voice' Wills to Hall of Fame

ST. PETERSBURG -- During their 18 years together in the Rays’ radio broadcast booth, Dave Wills and Andy Freed shared a few simple goals. They wanted to educate and entertain, and whether the Rays won or lost, they set out to “lead the league in fun.”

And nobody had more fun than Dave Wills.

Wills passed away suddenly on March 5, 2023, leaving a void once filled by the love he had for his family, the passion he exuded for baseball, the pride he took in being part of the Rays, his zest for life and, of course, the one-of-a-kind voice that boomed out some of the most famous calls in franchise history.

But Sunday was not a day for sadness, not a somber occasion. It was a celebration of Wills’ career, a recognition of what he meant to the Rays and a way to honor his legacy as he was inducted into the Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame.

“While many tears have been shed, and we all miss him so dearly, I’d like to say that on this afternoon, we are not here to mourn the loss,” Freed said to begin the pregame ceremony. “We are here today to celebrate, to honor and, most importantly, to enjoy reliving his 18 years in the Rays' broadcast booth.

“Today, in fact, I can feel Dave’s presence more strongly than ever. Because just as he lived his life, we are here today to have a good time -- a great time. That’s what Dave Wills was all about.”

Wills became the fourth member of the club’s Hall of Fame, which opened last season with the induction of the late Don Zimmer, Wade Boggs and Carl Crawford. Tampa native Fred McGriff will join them on Sept. 1.

“Dave never met a stranger, and if you loved the Rays, you loved Dave,” principal owner Stuart Sternberg said. “He was our friend, our baseball companion and one of the most recognizable sounds of summer in Tampa Bay.

“He made baseball fun. He made life fun. And he made sure that we all had fun along with him.”

Freed hosted the pregame ceremony before the Rays’ series finale against the Giants at Tropicana Field. He was joined on stage in the infield by Sternberg; Wills’ wife, Liz; daughter, Michelle, and her boyfriend; and son, Alex. Afterward, Michelle (to Freed) and Alex (to manager Kevin Cash) threw out the ceremonial first pitches.

“My dad, Dave Wills, was and will always be a Hall of Fame husband, father, son, brother, family man and friend,” said Michelle, wearing a custom denim jacket with “WILLS” and a picture of her dad on the back. “Now, he will forever be a Hall of Fame Tampa Bay Ray.”

More than a dozen of Wills’ friends and family members sat nearby on the field, all decked out in the Wills-themed tropical shirts (featuring a “Dave” microphone patch) that were given away to the first 12,000 fans at Sunday’s game.

“That shirt,” Alex said, “it’s Dave.”

“I always joked with him. I told him, like, 'Oh, you're not a big deal.' But now, I see. I'm like, 'OK, you are kind of a big deal,’” Michelle added with a smile. “He would have loved it. It's an amazing honor.”

The Rays also made blue T-shirts available for $45 at the Authentics store and the first- and third-base food halls at Tropicana Field, while supplies last, featuring Wills’ iconic “Rays win! Rays win! Rays win!” call around a microphone, with his signature underneath. All net proceeds from the sale of those shirts will benefit the Dave Wills Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is for Pinellas County high school students pursuing a career in broadcasting.

To further honor Wills’ legacy, the Rays Baseball Foundation made a donation to two charities close to his heart: Buddy Baseball and the Homeless Empowerment Program.

Wills had a “uniquely powerful voice,” as Freed put it, so much so that he once literally broke a microphone in the radio booth because he had bellowed so loudly into it. Wills’ longtime broadcast partner recalled how he looked -- and, of course, sounded -- when narrating the big moments he lived for: Akinori Iwamura’s pennant-clinching out in 2008, Dan Johnson’s season-saving home run in Game 162 of 2011 and so many others.

The Rays put together some of his most famous calls in a video narrated by Liz that also highlighted his love for the Rays, his family and the Tampa Bay area. But his enthusiasm might have best been reflected by another moment Freed recalled on Sunday, right before Freed called Evan Longoria’s walk-off homer in Game 162. Just before the pitch, Wills interjected: “I’m ready to party. Let’s go.”

A few seconds later, Wills got the party he wanted.

“And he couldn’t have been happier,” Freed said.