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 sex 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.

In these days of the 24/7 news cycle, breaking news is hard business.

It’s especially hard if you’re an unpaid, unprofessional.

On Friday, May 4 The Chickenhawk was the first media outlet to publish Wade Boggs’ response to Oil Can Boyd’s racist allegation.

We were happy. We had gotten what we wanted:  Wade’s denial.

We were going to leave it alone.

Then, however, the Hall of Famer decided to take his anguish to the airways.

Bad move.

Just when we had forgotten Wade’s 1989 Barbara Walters sex addict confessional, we were reminded of Wade’s 1989 Barbara Walters sex addict confessional.

(  …  to be continued)

thechickenhawk ‏ @thechickenhawk1

Wade Boggs ‏ @ChickenMan3010

@thechickenhawk1

Absolutely not ask Eddie Murray.

thechickenhawk ‏ @thechickenhawk1

@ChickenMan3010

… Did you have a problem with The Can?

Wade Boggs ‏ @ChickenMan3010

@thechickenhawk1

he wanted me and wife to be god parents to his son go figure

thechickenhawk ‏ @thechickenhawk1

Oil Can vs Wade:  http://www.thechickenhawk.com/blog1/?p=14570

Oil Can Boyd told WEEI sports radio Wade Boggs is a bigot and a racist.

When asked why he thought that, he said it was because Boggs used the “n” word.

He added that it wasn’t all Wade’s fault, it was the way he was brought up. He said he met Wade’s father and he was a bigot, too. Just like a lot of boys that grow up in Florida.

He said his best friend from the Red Sox was Ed Jurak and that he was also close with Marty Barrett, Rich Gedman and others.

When asked who else he smoked weed or crack with on the Red Sox, Oil Can answered: “Nobody.”