Wade Boggs finally gets recognition from the Red Sox

One of the greatest injustices in the history of Major League Baseball was corrected this week when Boston Red Sox chairman, Tom Werner, called legendary player Wade Boggs to inform him that his No. 26 jersey will be retired in a ceremony on May 26, 2016 at the Fenway Park.

Speaking from his Tampa home, the 1996 World Series champions was happy that his efforts for the franchise have finally been rewarded.

“I’m so grateful. I thought it may never happen and over the years I’ve wondered if it ever would. But I’m very appreciative of this honor. It was an honor and privilege to wear the uniform for the Red Sox and to have played as long as I did.

Boggs also revealed that he wanted to end his career with the Red Sox – something that former owner, Jean Yawkey always desired before she passed away in 1992.

“I wish I could have spent my entire career there and I know that was Mrs. [Jean] Yawkey’s wish. But she passed away before my free agency and things changed.”

However, it appears that Boggs’ love affair with Red Sox may have rekindled after reports floated around that the former third baseman is negotiating a possible role with the team, which might include being a spring training hitting coach just like Carl Yastrzemski and Ted Williams.

Boggs also revealed that his father also wanted to see his son’s number retired on the right-field façade next to fellow Hall of Famers such as Williams and Yastrzemski and Johnny Pesky, one of Boggs’ mentors, who spent a lot of time with the third baseman and converted him from a talented youngster to a Gold Glove third baseman.

“Dad will have the best seat in the house looking down on that ceremony,” Boggs said. “Our whole family has been very emotional after Tom gave us the news. This meant so much to us as a family. We hoped to be recognized by the Red Sox and be part of the Red Sox family again. We loved our time with the Red Sox. We had so many great memories. We wanted to get back there and know we were part of the Red Sox again.”

Boggs, who also played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after a four-year spell with New York Yankees, had his No. 12 retired by the Rays and has the highest career batting average at Fenway – .369, 8 points higher than Williams.

Currently, Brock Holt wears the No. 26 and will switch to No. 12, according to a team announcement.

And although it is great to see Boggs get the recognition he always deserved, it remains unclear as to why this honor was denied to him for so long. It is clear that Boggs leaving for Yankees and winning the championship in 1996 didn’t go down well with the Red Sox and the owners at that time, did not want to honor a player who ended up leaving for a rival team. However, the current Red Sox ownership was never around at that time which is why it is still puzzling as to why they delayed the jersey retirement party for so long.

Nevertheless, better late than never.