Wade Boggs experienced something he probably doesn’t see every day upon walking into Rich Davis’ basement. The Plainfield, Illinois resident and Boggs superfan has transformed that area of his house into “The Boggs Tavern.”
It’s a shrine to the Hall of Famer that’s full of memorabilia, cards, framed photos…and even a pair of Boggs’ shower shoes from his days with the Boston Red Sox.
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The Hall of Famer Visits His Biggest Fan’s Baseball Shrine
According to Yahoo Sports’ Susan Lulgjuraj, Boggs made the special trip to Davis’ home during the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. The two had met at previous card shows, but this was the first time the former big leaguer experienced the full glory of The Boggs Tavern.
An 11-year-old Davis pulled Boggs’ 1983 Donruss rookie card from a pack on Christmas morning in 1985. That was just the start of a lifelong obsession with collecting Chicken Man’s memorabilia and displaying them in a way only a few fans can.
What I like about this is that Davis didn’t keep it to a one-on-one experience. Lulgjuraj reports he invited about 30 other Boggs enthusiasts to join. “I wanted to share this with everyone,” Davis explained, via Yahoo Sports. This is another reminder about what the sports card/memorabilia world is all about. It’s not only about finding treasures — it’s also about bonding with others through a shared passion.
Boggs signed autographs, took photos, and chatted with everyone for several hours. Davis was eventually worried about it all being too much for the 12-time All-Star, but Boggs’ response to that concern is every collector’s dream: “You know I love you. I would do anything for you.”
If you told an 11-year-old Davis that he’d hear that from his baseball idol one day, he would’ve been blown away. I bet he still is!
Wade Boggs Baseball Cards That Command Serious Money
The financial heavyweights in any Boggs collection are his three 1983 rookie cards—Donruss (#586), Fleer (#179), and Topps (#498).
The 1983 Topps #498 reigns supreme, with PSA 10 examples selling around $3,000, according to Sports Cards Pro data. The 1983 Fleer #179 follows with PSA 10 versions currently fetching between $200 and $300. While understated, it’s still essential for serious collectors, and raw copies can be found for under $10.
His 1983 Donruss #586 rookie can bring around $150-200 in PSA 10 condition. What’s interesting about this card is that it lists Boggs as a Designated Hitter…despite racking up just four plate appearances in that role during the 1982 season.
Beyond mainstream rookies, the 1981 TCMA Pawtucket Red Sox #15 is his only minor league card. This piece of cardboard is available on eBay for as little as $100 and as much as $800 at the time of this writing.
My Personal Favorite: The 1983 Fleer Wade Boggs #179
While all three of those Boggs rookie cards are great, the 1983 Fleer version is my favorite…mostly because I own it! I took a trip to my local card shop a few weeks ago and spent some time searching through old cards for anything that caught my eye.
There were plenty in my hand by the time I was done sifting through the pile, but an ungraded version of the Fleer Boggs was part of it, and it only cost me $10. I need to inspect it more closely, but I might send it off to get graded if I think it has a shot at getting a high grade.
Boggs’ Hall of Fame Legacy Fuels Collector Demand
Boggs enjoyed an 18-year big-league career that included 3,010 total hits, 12 All-Star Game selections, two Gold Glove Awards, eight (!) Silver Slugger Awards, and a World Series title. Unsurprisingly, he earned a spot in Cooperstown on his first ballot in 2005 after receiving 91.9% of the vote.
His .328 lifetime batting average is among the highest when looking at living retired players, and he paired that with a .415 on-base percentage. Boggs also won five American League batting titles in six years between 1983 and 1988. He took home the title four straight years between 1985 and 1988, and the overall numbers jump off the page (especially when thinking about batting averages in today’s game).
Boggs never finished with a batting average below .357 during this stretch. Across 612 games (2,837 plate appearances), he slashed .364/.460/.508 with 861 total hits.
The Hall of Famer was also known for his superstitions, which included eating chicken before every game (hence the “Chicken Man” nickname) and taking exactly 150 ground balls during batting practice before games. Just think about how many that turns into when you multiply it across a 162-game season and an 18-year career!
His visit to The Boggs Tavern is a great story overall, and it also shows why his cards still get a lot of attention. When Hall of Famers celebrate with fans and express genuine appreciation, it reinforces the emotional connection that drives the memorabilia market.
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