Go Rays! Warm Up to Tonights Game – Remembering Dave Wills, Florida Sports Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Class of 2025

This week we feature Dave Wills, FSHOF Class of 2025, Posthumously#DaveWillsBroadcaster https://flasportshof.org/fshofmember/dave-wills/ 

Dave Wills spent 18 seasons in the Rays’ radio booth, partnering with Andy Freed to form a broadcast team that was wildly popular with the team’s fans.Wills created a few signature, instantly recognizable calls when on play-by-play duty, including his roaring refrain immediately following every victory – “Rays win! Rays win! Rays win!” – and his exaggerated “Heeeeee struck him out!” after every K by a Rays pitcher. And perhaps many fans have committed Wills’ call of the final out from Game 7 of the 2008 American League Championship Series to memory, when Boston’s Jed Lowrie grounded into a forceout to Akinori Iwamura: “Swing and a ground ball to second. This should do it. Aki has it, takes it to second himself. This improbable season has another chapter to it! The Rays are going to the World Series!”

A Chicago native who grew up as a huge White Sox fan, Wills spent 11 seasons as part of the White Sox radio broadcast team prior to joining the Rays before the 2005 season. Wills’ radio broadcasting career began with four years as the first play-by-play voice of the Kane County Cougars, a former Marlins and Orioles affiliate, from 1991-95. He was the radio voice of the Illinois-Chicago men’s basketball team from 1997-2005 and anchored the pre- and postgame shows for Notre Dame football and basketball.Wills was particularly known for his “big personality” and his ability to connect with fans off the air. His sudden death on March 5, 2023, was a blow to his entire fan base. On April 14, 2024, Wills was inducted into the Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame, the fourth individual to be inducted, after Don Zimmer, Wade Boggs, and Carl Crawford. (Photo Credit MLB.com)

Become a Florida Sports Hall of Fame Patron for only $75!Florida Sports Hall of Fame Patrons Program #FSHOFPatrons https://flasportshof.org/patrons-program/

For more than six decades, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame has honored Florida’s greatest athletes, coaches, teams, and contributors while using their stories to inspire young people to pursue sports, fitness and personal excellence.Now, for the first time, you can help strengthen that mission by becoming a Florida Sports Hall of Fame Patron. For just $75, your Patron Membership directly supports our outreach programs, youth initiatives, and statewide efforts to celebrate the values of discipline, perseverance and achievement. Your contribution ensures the inspiring stories of our more than 300 Hall of Fame members continue to reach communities across Florida.

As a Patron, you will receive:

Customizable Florida Sports Hall of Fame cap, Luggage tag, Monthly insider newsletter with exclusive stories and behind the scenes features, Opportunity to nominate future Hall of Fame Inductees, Merchandise Discounts, Early access to select events and announcements and Recognition on the Florida Sports Hall of Fame website

Your support also helps fuel programs like Fame for Fitness, which raises awareness about childhood obesity and diabetes, and strengthens our partnerships with organizations such as Shriners Hospitals for Children, Florida Sheriff Youth Ranches, The First Tee, Boys & Girls Clubs and others making a difference in the lives of Florida’s youth.
Join us as we continue to celebrate, recognize and engage the best in Florida sports. Together we can honor the legends who shaped Florida sports and inspire the young athletes who will shape its future!

Contact:

Florida Sports Hall of Fame
#FloridaSportsHOF1961 https://flasportshof.org/
Ginger Kane, Executive Director [email protected]