Player: Wade Boggs
Set: 1983 Fleer, Donruss and Topps
Card Number: 179, 586, and 498 respectively
Why is These Cards are Must Have?: While he was playing in the lat 80s and early 90s was there any top tier player that got less respect than Wade Boggs. I mean sure the Red Sox Faithful loved him, but outside of Boston he was just not given the love he should have gotten. Besides Gwynn and Ichiro, can you think of anyone in the past 20 years that could do what he did in the 80s? Between 1983 and 1989 he hit over 200 hits every season. He won five batting titles in that same time period. He along with Ripken were very easy no brainers when it came to Hall of Fame induction. On his resume are 12 All Star appearances, 8 Silver Slugger Awards, career hit mark of 3010, and a career batting average of 0.328. Of course being a Yankees fan, it was tough for me to want to root for him, once he came over from Boston. I think though, after winning a World Series for the Yanks, he kind of grew on me and I became a fan. Of course the whole Hair Club for men commercials also made me giggle. I think those commercials took him to a whole new level of popularity (especially with bald baseball enthusiasts).
On a Scale of 1 to 10, How Must Have Are These Cards?: A 9, I do think these are considered absolute must haves, but because he was never that top tier player, you can’t place him in the land of 10. You can find these cards for between $1 – $5 dollars on eBay (more if graded).
