Rays bridge eras through new Hall of Fame
Tampa Bay Rays fans will have the opportunity to hear from two franchise legends and the family of a third when team officials introduce their inaugural Hall of Fame class.
The first three honorees include the late Don Zimmer, former senior advisor; Wade Boggs, an MLB Hall of Fame third baseman; and Carl Crawford, a four-time All-Star in left field.
Patrick Abts, vice president of marketing, has helped launch the initiative, part of a season-long 25th-anniversary celebration. While the team did not find much success in its first decade of play, he said there are still stories and people who deserve recognition.
In addition, Abts noted that the Rays are welcoming their second and third generation of fans after 25 years in St. Petersburg.
“I think it helps us to talk more about the past but connect to the present,” Abts said. “It’s something that can bring excitement to the fans … but we do have a really exciting present and future.”
He explained that the Hall of Fame would not be a facility stocked with memorabilia. Instead, team officials are changing the left field concourse’s “Rays Greats” alcove to recognize inductees.
They will also hang banners, and the initiative will resemble the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ “Ring of Honor.” Abts said the plan is to make updates according to official induction dates.
The team has retired three players’ numbers in its relatively short history, and one, Jackie Robinson’s 42, never played for the team. Abts noted the importance of including the other honorees, Zimmer and Boggs, in the inaugural Hall of Fame class.
The Rays retired number 42 for Jackie Robinson, number 12 for Wade Boggs and number 66 for Don Zimmer. Photo by Mark Parker.
He said team officials discussed who they should recognize for over a year and decided to only include retired players. That excluded stars like pitching ace David Price, who announced his retirement in September 2022.
“This is an annual, ongoing Hall of Fame,” Abst said. “I think our thought is that we’d like to induct at least one member every year moving forward.”
Don Zimmer
Zimmer was a Major League Baseball player, coach and advisor for 65 years. He is also a six-time World Series Champion. The Rays retired his number 66 in 2015, a year after his death.
Zimmer and his wife moved to Tampa Bay in the late 1950s, and he served as a senior advisor to the Rays from 2004 to 2014. He will become the team’s first Hall of Famer April 2.
Fans will receive a “Zim Bear” bobblehead at the game, and Abts said Zimmer’s wife, children and grandchildren would participate in the pregame ceremonies.
Don Zimmer in 2009. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Wade Boggs
Boggs graduated from Tampa’s Plant High in 1976 and played most of his career with the Boston Red Sox. He joined the Devil Rays – as the team was initially known – in 1998 and hit the team’s first home run in the sixth inning of their inaugural game.
Boggs famously became the 23rd player to reach 3,000 career hits in 1999 and the first to do so off a home run. He sustained a knee injury and played his last game as a Devil Ray just a few weeks later.
Team officials will honor Boggs July 9, and fans will receive a can cooler. He will also participate in the pregame ceremony.
Carl Crawford
Crawford made his MLB debut in 2002 at just 20 years old. Known for his base-running prowess, he led the American League in stolen bases from 2003-2007.
Crawford also played in both team eras, earning two All-Star selections as a Devil Ray and two more once current owner Stuart Sternberg bought the team in 2008 and changed its moniker. He last played with the L.A. Dodgers in 2016 and retired the following year.
He will attend his induction ceremony Aug. 26, and fans will receive a mystery bobblehead.
“We really wanted to pick someone … who reflected multiple eras, and there’s pretty much no better person for that than Crawford,” Abts said. “He played during some tough, leaner years – as well as some great years.”
The future
Abts also expressed his excitement for Crawford’s giveaway, as the team designed three bobbleheads, and fans will not realize which one they’ve received until the box is opened. Additional anniversary merchandise not available at the recent Fan Fest is on the way, and team officials will announce other giveaways and specialty nights in the coming months.
A full-size Wander Franco bat promotion is planned.
Players and coaches will wear throwback uniforms for the March 30 season opener and 13 Friday home games. A 25th-anniversary patch will adorn hats and jerseys all season.
Abts said additional anniversary initiatives would allow fans to reflect on past and current players and “make their voices heard as it relates to who might be some future inductees.” While he looks forward to celebrating 25 years of Rays baseball, he noted that team leadership wants other promotions to recognize their current young, competitive team.
“If we didn’t have a great present, we might be going more all-in on the anniversary concept throughout the entire year,” Abts said. “But we do have a really exciting present and future, so we want to make sure … that story has room to be told throughout the year, as well.”
