Wills and Freed alternated calling plays and provide color commentary during Rays game broadcasts, often swapping duties every three innings. Wills repeatedly renewed his arrangement with the Tampa Bay Rays Radio Network, and after the 2017 Season, he signed a new “multi-year” contract.
He was born and raised in the Chicago area and was a “die-hard” White Sox supporter. Dave played baseball and basketball at Oak Lawn Community High School, where he also wrote for the school newspaper.
He attended Elmhurst College, playing on the baseball team and writing for the school newspaper while earning degrees in speech communications and urban studies in 1988. Keep reading to find out more about Dave Wills’s death and obituary.
The Death And Obituary Of Dave Wills
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Speaking on Dave Wills’ passing, 58-year-old David Wills, a veteran radio announcer for the Tampa Bay Rays, died on Sunday, according to a statement. Wills was widely known for his passion for baseball and had spent 18 years working for the Rays when he passed away.
The aircraft was allegedly diverted because numerous passengers passed out during the nine-hour ordeal. The broadcaster covered Major Rays games, including their World Series appearances in 2008 and 2020.
Before one of their games this season, the Rays intend to offer a special tribute; further details will be released later. The Rays have declared that there won’t be a radio broadcast of their spring training matchup against the Orioles.
American sports commentator Dave Wills: How Did He Pass Away?
There was some gloomy Tampa Bay Rays news on Sunday. The team disclosed the passing of 58-year-old radio play-by-play announcer Dave Wills, who had been employed with the Company since 2005. The Rays chose to conduct a moment of silence before the game in honor of Wills and canceled the day’s radio broadcast from spring training.
Wills missed the last two weeks of the regular season due to a heart problem, according to that earlier piece by Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. Wills was hospitalized in Toronto after the 2022 Campaign. Nevertheless, he eventually made a comeback for the postseason and this year’s spring training (where he officiated the game on Saturday).
Stuart Sternberg, the principal owner of the Rays, said of David: “David was a terrific announcer, a great friend, and an even better person.”His ability to bring the game to life for our fans made him a vital part of the Rays family. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers at this dreadful time. He will be sorely missed.
David Wills’s early years
In the Chicago media area, Wills began his on-air broadcasting career by providing sports coverage for radio stations WMAQ and WMVP. He had his first play-by-play position with the Class-A Kane County Cougars from 1991 to 1995 while serving as their radio voice.
From 1997 through 2004, Wills covered John Rooney’s pre- and post-game parts on the Chicago White Sox radio shows. At the time, he co-hosted a daily sports talk radio program, presented a local cable television sports show, hosted the pre-and post-game radio broadcasts for Notre Dame football and basketball, and did radio play-by-play for the basketball team of University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
The Rays replaced the team’s original radio pair, Paul Olden and Charlie Slowes, by signing Wills and Andy Freed before the 2005 season. The Irish-American Baseball Hall of Fame recognized Wills in 2016.
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