But Rose was “Charlie Hustle,” while Boggs was the guy who always ate chicken and always took ground balls at 3:07 p.m. and had about a hundred other superstitions that made people think of him as more than a little weird. Rose slid head-first and stole bases. Boggs just kept pounding out hits.

What people probably appreciate least about Boggs was how hard he worked to get where he was. He had to work to get to the major leagues, a singles hitter trying to make the Red Sox, which have never been known for their affection for small ball.

When he came up, people said he was all bat — and not a very powerful one at that — and no glove. And it was true; Boggs was not a great third baseman when he arrived; he was barely adequate.

But he worked tirelessly at learning to field, taking endless ground balls before every game. By 1994, he was a gold-glove winner, an honor he won again the following year. And in 1996, with the Yankees, he finally won a World Series, which he celebrated famously by riding a police horse around the field in Yankee Stadium.

In the early 20^th century, Boggs would have been recognized as an all-time great. If he were playing today, he might get the same sort of recognition. During his day, though, he was always somewhat overlooked, made to seem less of a player by his lack of power.

And Sunday, his induction into the Hall wasn't as big a deal as the induction of a slugger is. But he is where he belongs, in Cooperstown. And in years to come, his accomplishments will not diminish. As we continue to see how hard it is to hit for such a high average for so long, they will only increase.

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