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What they’re saying about Vince Naimoli

The original owner of the Rays franchise died Sunday at age 81. Here is sampling of the reaction around Major League Baseball and beyond:

Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner

“Vince Naimoli was the driving force behind the efforts that brought a Major League club to the Tampa Bay region. Vince believed deeply in the market and overcame significant obstacles to secure a Major League franchise. The Rays’ many winning seasons under Stu Sternberg would not have been possible without Vince’s longstanding devotion to this cause leading up to a successful expansion bid in 1995. Vince was also a generous figure who cared deeply about his community and education, including his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, and universities in the Tampa area and his native New Jersey.