Maury Wills, 84, calls last game for North Dakota team

FARGO, N.D. – At 84, Maury Wills has called it a career.

Far from Dodger Stadium where he became a stolen-base champion, Wills on Sunday wrapped up more than two decades of dropping into the broadcast booth for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

In Wills’ final game of providing color commentary before retirement, the RedHawks lost to Gary 5-1 in the independent Northern League.

“We just really enjoyed having him,” general manager Josh Buchholz said after the last out.

Wills spent parts of 22 years for the RedHawks as an announcer. He formerly coached the team, served as an ambassador for the club and has many of his artifacts displayed in a museum where it plays.

When Wills started out, he did most all of the games on radio. He slowed down his schedule over the years, handling just one series last season.

Now living in Arizona, Wills’ weekend visit was his only time in the booth this year. He threw out the first ball on Friday and helped conduct an on-field camp for kids Saturday.

Wills originally was offered the job while he was in Fargo to speak at a local sports banquet.

Wills tells KFGO radio that getting the job with the RedHawks helped him beat his addiction to drugs and alcohol. He says the Fargo-Moorhead area and RedHawks baseball has been his second home.

The former speedster played 14 seasons in the major leagues. He was the 1962 N.L. MVP after stealing a then-record 104 bases.

Wills played in 195 games for the Spokane Indians in 1958-59.

The switch-hitter was an All-Star in five seasons, batted .281, stole 586 bases and won two Gold Gloves at shortstop. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos along with the Dodgers, and managed the Seattle Mariners. His son, Bump, who grew up in Spokane, also played in the majors.