updated 1:12 p.m. ET Jan. 7, 2005

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. - Wade Boggs will have a Boston Red Sox cap on his Hall of Fame plaque.

Boggs, elected to the Hall this week along with Ryne Sandberg, spent the first 11 seasons of his career with Boston, winning five American League batting titles. He played with the New York Yankees from 1993-97, then finished with two seasons for his hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The Hall picks which cap will appear on a player’s bronze plaque. Boggs told the Hall he didn’t care which team was selected.

“The logo selection is based on where that player makes his most indelible mark,” Hall president Dale Petroskey said Friday.

“The choice of which team’s logo appears on a player’s plaque is our decision,” he said. “The wishes of each inductee were considered, but ultimately, it is important that the logo be emblematic of the historical accomplishments of that player’s career.”

After leaving the Red Sox, Boggs won his only World Series championship ring with the Yankees. He got his 3,000th career hit with Tampa Bay.

“If you take away any of my time spent with any of the three teams in my career, I’m likely not considered a Hall of Famer,” Boggs said. “It’s a decision they made and I’m fine with it. If the Hall of Fame had picked my Little League cap, I would have been happy with that.”

Sandberg will have a Chicago Cubs cap on his plaque, and it was an easy decision. After playing 13 games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, he was traded to the Cubs and spent the rest of his 16-season career in Chicago.

Boggs and Sandberg will be inducted July 31 along with any players elected by members of the Veterans Committee, whose vote is announced March 2.

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

Beckett finishes strong first half Angels sweep Yanks, but bombers not panicked Dodgers cap best first half in majors with win Ludwick’s HRs ensure Cards split with Cubs Mets put on rare offensive show in 9-7 win   Nats' Acta says he's been fired DeMarco: Morneau, Pujols lead midseason awards Special feature: MLB’s midseason report Hoffman, Pena, Duke added to All-Star teams Rumors: Mattingly successor to Torre? Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: