Hall of Famer Wade Boggs announces cancer diagnosis

Tampa-based Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs announced Saturday on social media that he is battling prostate cancer.

Boggs, 66, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, a photo of a prostate cancer patient guide and a statement that he was confident he would beat the disease that is more common in older men:

“I’ve never been a goal oriented person but with the strength and support of my family and my faith in God I’m going to ring that damn bell.”

Boggs added emojis of a flexed muscle and praying hands, and the hashtag #positiveattitude.

Boggs moved to Tampa as a child and graduated from Plant High before starting a stellar baseball career that culminated with his induction into the Hall in 2005.

The Hall issued a statement on Saturday via X, using Boggs’ account name: “Sending our well wishes to @ChickenaMan3010 as he battles prostate cancer. We’re with you every step of the way, Wade!”

Boggs played 18 seasons in the majors, spending 11 seasons with the Red Sox, five with the Yankees (including winning the 1996 World Series) and his last with his hometown Rays, getting his 3,000th hit on Aug. 7, 1999, at Tropicana Field. He won five American League batting titles, eight Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves for his play at third base and was a 12-time All-Star. Boggs also was inducted into the Rays’ Hall of Fame in 2023.

The diagnosis apparently was a recent development. Boggs attended the July Hall induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, New York, and fellow Hall of Famer Fred McGriff said last week that he recently had traveled with him.

“Me and Wade, we’re tight now,” McGriff said. “I saw Wade a couple weeks ago. We had to fly home together from Cleveland. From Cleveland to Atlanta to Tampa, so we did some more bonding.”

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 13 out of every 100 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and it will be fatal for two to three.