68. Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs was known for his superstitions, including his insistence on eating chicken before a game. Considering that he was one of the best hitters of the 1980’s, it is understandable that he would stay with his choice of cuisine.
Despite his ability to hit, Boggs spent six years in the minors, reaching the majors with the Boston Red Sox at age 24. In his first season, Boggs produced a .342/.406/.441 batting line in 104 games, yet finished third in the Rookie of the Year vote, behind Kent Hrbek and Cal Ripken. From that point, Boggs did not have a batting average below .325 for the rest of the decade, as he led the American League in average five times and on base percentage six times.
In his career, Boggs had a .328/.415/.443 batting line with 578 doubles and 3,010 hits. His 3000th hit was certainly memorable, as he became the first player in baseball history to hit a home run to reach that milestone. A first ballot Hall of Famer, Boggs was a twelve time All-Star and an eight time Silver Slugger winner.
Boggs was also more than just a hitter. He won two Gold Glove awards at third, and ranks ninth in assists and seventh in double plays at third base in MLB history. His 95 runs saved at third is the 11th best mark all time, showing that he was equally adept in the field as he was at the plate.
Wade Boggs may be remembered for his affair with Margo Adams and how he filmed his teammates affairs to keep his own a secret, but that did not change the player he was on the field. He may not have been a great person, but Boggs was certainly a great baseball player.
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