NewYork.Yankees.MLB.com

By Paul C. Smith / MLB.com

Every eligible member of the 3,000-hit club has been inducted on the first ballot. (Rick Stewart/Getty)

As a Red Sox, pounding singles and doubles toward the Green Monster? As a Yankee, celebrating a 1996 World Series victory on horseback? Or as a Devil Ray, drilling a home run for his 3,000th hit and then kneeling down and kissing home plate?

If he is voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 4, his bust will display a Red Sox cap. But Boggs said he enjoyed all three experiences and has not put much thought into the team logo on the cap.

"The Hall of Fame makes the decision and that takes all the pressure off the player," Boggs said. "But really, it wouldn't make any difference to me if they used a Little League hat. It's the Hall of Fame."

Boggs had a .328 lifetime batting average and collected 3,010 hits in 18 seasons from 1982 until 1999. He is among the newest players to become eligible to become enshrined in the hall in Cooperstown, N.Y., so the only question that seems to remain is, "Will Boggs be a first-ballot Hall of Famer?"

Boggs' Resume Teams: Red Sox, Yankees, Devil Rays Key stats: .328 lifetime BA and 3,010 hits Awards: Gold Gloves in 1994 and 1995, 12-time All-Star Best HOF vote Pct.: First year of eligibility Peers in Hall: Robin Yount, Kirby Puckett, George Brett

History is with him because, since Stan Musial was enshrined in 1969, no eligible member of the 3,000-hit club has been denied election on the first ballot.

"It would be very impressive," Boggs said. "I think what I accomplished numbers-wise warrants that."

Boggs accomplished many impressive feats during his career. In his 11 seasons with the Red Sox, he led the league in hitting five times, ranging from .357 in 1986 to .368 in 1985. He led the American League in hits, with 240 in 1985.

In 1988, Boggs led the league in runs scored, with 128, and doubles, with 45. In 1989, he led the AL in runs scored again, with 113, and in doubles again, with 51. Six times, he led the league in on-base percentage and six times he led the league in intentional walks.

Boggs was a hit machine, able to guide the ball seemingly where he wanted. He stayed fairly healthy throughout his career and answered his "lack of quality production" critics with a career high 24 homers and 89 RBIs (along with a .363 average) in 1987.

Boggs also was a 12-time All-Star but two of the honors he cherished the most were his Gold Gloves, earned while he was with the Yankees in 1994 and 1995.

"Getting those was special," Boggs said. "Especially after so many people had told me I couldn't play third base in the Major Leagues."

In 1996, Boggs helped the Yankees start a run of four World Series Championships in five years as New York topped the Braves in six games. After the last out, Boggs promptly climbed on the back of a mounted policeman's horse and enjoyed a victory lap around Yankee Stadium.

"The World Series victory was right up at the top of the list (of memories)," Boggs said.

In 1998, the Tampa native signed to play in the first season with the expansion Devil Rays.

"Getting the 3,000th hit in front of friends and family, that was one of the reasons to come home and play," Boggs said.

On Aug. 7, 1999, Boggs homered to right field off Cleveland's Chris Haney for his milestone hit.

"That night was very special,'' Boggs said. "My son [Brett] was a bat boy. And my daughter made it back from a wedding in South Florida in time for the press conference [after the game]."

But Boggs didn't just trot around the bases after his heralded hit and head for the dugout. He stopped, knelt in the batter's box and kissed home plate.

"I don't know why I did that,'' Boggs said. "I had run over it so much, I just stopped. It was spontaneous. It was just of those things that just happened."

Boggs also became the first player to smash a home run for his 3,000th hit.

"If it was typical, it would have been a single through shortstop," Boggs said. "But I sort of like what happened. When you think of all the great players who have 3,000 hits and I was the first to hit a home run, well, it's kind of funny."

Boggs retired after that season and tried his hand as the Rays' hitting coach. But he found that trying to teach professional players to hit the ball did not offer the same rewards as hitting the ball himself.

Since then, Boggs, now 46, has done as much fishing and hunting as he could fit in. And he has become the assistant baseball coach at Wharton High School in North Tampa in order to work with Brett, an outfielder.

"It's been a blast," Boggs said.

His life in the Majors Leagues has become more of memory for Boggs.

"The longer I'm away, I don't miss it that much," Boggs said. "It was tough right after I retired but the further away I get, and the less involved I get, it's not prevalent on my mind."

Boggs may be the only first-time eligible player to be elected this time around. But he is aware of the other players who are on the list from past years. And what if someone like ex-Boston teammate Jim Rice were to go into the Hall along with Boggs?

"If I share that special day, it would be nice," Boggs said. "Rice would be nice."

Once he gets the call on Jan. 4, if it is affirmative, Boggs will quickly be flown to New York for a news conference. Then, it's another seven months until he goes to upstate New York, for induction and what is usually a memorable speech.

"I'm working on it," Boggs said of his speech. "I'm not sure if I'll use it this year. Whitey Ford said to keep it short. But, when you think about it, you have to thank so many people, it's going to be hard to do that."

Until then, Boggs said he is ready for all the things that have come to be expected of a Hall of Famer.

"This is an exciting time of my life," Boggs said. "I've waited five years. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is this big train coming through it and hopefully I can jump on."

Paul C. Smith is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

print this page    |    email this page