Fairhaven High Press Box Will Be Dedicated to Gil Santos

Fairhaven native Gil Santos, celebrated sports broadcaster, will have the press box overlooking Fairhaven High School's football field dedicated in his honor.

The ceremony will take place this Friday, September 9, at 6 p.m., according to his son Mark Santos.

"Born and raised in Fairhaven, my father loved his hometown and all its people, and all the people loved him back," Mark Santos said. "My dad never forgot where he came from, and he never forgot the people who were there for him."

Gil Santos began his legendary broadcasting career at WBSM in 1959, and was the "voice of the New England Patriots," spending 36 years in the Patriots' broadcasting booth. He passed away in April 2018, on his 80th birthday and 57th wedding anniversary.

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The younger Santos disclosed that he thought of the idea of dedicating the press box to his late father right after the Patriots beat the L.A. Rams in Super Bowl LIII, and he approached Fairhaven School Committee members and high school administrators, whose reception was welcoming and warm – but then COVID-19 struck and everything was pushed back.

"Friday night's dedication will include a deep 'thank you' from my family to the people of Fairhaven, where he went to high school, and where he started his famed career at WBSM and then WNBH," Mark Santos said.

From there, his career took off to so many great heights.

"When he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame, he told the crowd, 'I worked in the toy department of life; I felt like I never worked a day in my life,'" Mark Santos said.

The younger Santos said his father never lost that love for the game.

"My dad loved it, whether he was calling Patriots games – and don't forget, he called the Celtics with Bob Cousy for 13 years, and of course, the Patriots with Gino (Cappelletti) for 28 years," he said.

A plaque will be affixed to the press box that reads: "Gil Santos FHS class of 1956, Gil Santos FHS Hall of Fame inductee 1996, Gil Santos The Voice of Boston Sports and the Voice of the New England Patriots."

SouthCoast sports fans will also forever remember Gil Santos as the voice of the Holy Family basketball team's 1969 Tech Tournament championship.

When asked to describe his father's voice, Santos reflected for a moment before answering.

"His was the voice that connected fans together. A voice that paired him with his fans," Mark Santos said. "Robert Kraft said it best when he inducted my dad to the Patriots Hall of Fame: 'Gil Santos is like an old shoe,' meaning he was someone whose voice brought enjoyment, like putting on an old favorite pair of comforting shoes."

Following the dedication ceremony, the Fairhaven Blue Devils will play the Sandwich Blue Knights.