11/14/2024
The Wade Boggs Interview
Winter Haven, FL – March 24, 1989
Somewhere Tammy Wynette softly sang Stand By Your Man.
The Red Sox were a team divided.
Camp was a disaster.
It was the story that wouldn’t go away.
Boggs’ estranged girlfriend, Margo Adams, had gone public with their longtime affair on Donahue, Larry King and Arsenio. Now she was promoting a racy, tell-all interview in Penthouse magazine.
Among other things, the Penthouse article revealed:
Boggs often criticized black, teammate Jim Rice because he ‘thinks he’s white’ and resented that Rice showed affection to Adams.
Boggs held stereotypical beliefs that suggest anatomical differences between blacks and whites.
Boggs criticized white teammates who had affairs with black women rather than white women because the players believed that, if discovered, their wives would not care as much.
Boggs told her about Jose Canseco’s steroid use.
Boggs kept trying to convince everyone, especially Jim Rice, the stories weren’t true.
He decided to take his anguish to the airways and allow Barbara Walters to interview him on national television.
Red Sox managing general partner, John Harrington, advised Boggs and his agent not to do the interview. Harrington didn’t think it would do anyone any good. Not the third baseman and not the Red Sox.
Snuggled like a hot dog between buns, Wade sat between Debbie and Barbara and tearfully acknowledged his s*x addiction.
He proclaimed his sorrow and innocence relating to many of Margo’s allegations, including the racism charges.
Fast forward 23 years, it’s deja vu all over again:
Oil Can’s allegations, followed by Wade & Debbie’s rabid, tearful radio rant denial seems to incriminate more than exfoliate.
Boggs explained he takes his Hall of Fame responsibilities very seriously.
Historically not adverse to a freak show, & although inadmissible in court, Wade quickly put Debbie on the phone with WEEI listeners to vouch for his character. Meanwhile, he scurried to his car to listen in on satellite radio.
Debbie, sounding unemotional, apologized for how emotional she was.
She knows the drill.
Methinks the lady doth protest too much.
