AL
Wade Boggs No. 26 To Hang In Fenway Rafters In 2016
Ceremony scheduled for May 26, 2016 at Fenway Park.
Image Source: Getty Images
The Boston Red Sox announced on Monday that the organization will retire Hall Fame third baseman Wade Boggs‘ uniform number 26 and hang it in the Fenway rafters, with a ceremony scheduled to take place on May 26, 2016.
Boggs played in 11 seasons with the Red Sox (1982-1992), before moving on to play in five with the New York Yankees (1993-1997) and two with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998-1999), before calling it a career in 1999 at the age of 41.
In his 18 years in the big leagues, Boggs batted a combined .328, with 3010 hits, 1513 runs, 1014 RBIs and 1412 walks. He is a 12-time all-star, with eight Silver Slugger awards and two Gold Glove awards. He won five batting titles with the Red Sox from 1983-1988 and only batted under .300 three times in his career. In 2005, he was selected into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 91.9% of the votes, in his first time on the ballot.
He was part of the 1986 World Series squad that fell short to the New York Mets in seven games, but enjoyed a championship in 1996 when he won it with the Yankees.
In his time with Boston, Boggs batted .338, with 2098 hits, 1067 runs, 687 RBI’s, and 1004 walks.
Some of the Red Sox Executives shared a special thought and a few former teammates took to Twitter to give gratitude to the man who brought so much to the organization.
Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry
“Wade Boggs was the best third baseman in Red Sox history and one of the best hitters of his generation. Whether it was his legendary hand-eye coordination or the discipline of his highly superstitious routine, his ability to hit line drive after line drive was remarkable. We congratulate our first ballot Hall of Famer on this recognition.”
Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner
“Wade Boggs took the art of hitting to an extraordinary level. From 1982 to 1992, the five-time batting champion was invincible. Boggs worked at his craft relentlessly and for nearly a decade New England fans worshiped him, pitchers feared him, and young children emulated him. It is fitting that his batting average with the Red Sox is second only to the greatest hitter who ever lived. We eagerly await the spring when we can honor the extraordinary legacy of this 12-time All Star.”
Red Sox President Sam Kennedy
“I am part of a generation that grew up watching Wade Boggs play at Fenway Park. For those of us who came early for BP, we could count on Wade religiously signing autographs every single day, as well as launching baseballs off the Monster day in and day out. This is a long overdue acknowledgement of a player who is arguably the best pure hitter in Red Sox history. We look forward to affixing his number 26 in its rightful place alongside the great legends on Fenway Park’s right field facade.”
Well deserved for a @RedSox legend. Congrats to Wade Boggs on his number being retired @fenwaypark. #RedSox https://t.co/qHTOG8RhxH
— Kevin Youkilis (@KYouk_2036) December 21, 2015
@ChickenMan3010 Congrats on the honor. Well deserved sir. You’ve earned it. It was an honor to play against you.
— Tim Wakefield (@TimWakefield49) December 21, 2015
TO ONE OF THE GREATEST RED SOX OF ALL-TIME, CONGRATS ON YOUR NUMBER RETIREMENT, BOGGSIE ! @ChickenMan3010 @redsox #redsox
— Dennis Eckersley (@Eck43) December 21, 2015
@ChickenMan3010 congrats man! It’s finally where it belongs! Thanks for letting me keep it warm!
— Brock Holt (@BrockStar4Lyf) December 21, 2015
Wade Boggs reached out in response to his pending uniform number retirement:
“I am so humbled and honored to be among the greatest legends to ever put on a uniform for the amazing city of Boston. To say that your number will never be worn again is the highest honor an athlete can receive. Thank you.”
To one of the true Legends of the game, congrats on another great achievement in your storied career.
David Conde
David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.
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