JULY 11 • 2024 | 33

should not be in the Hall 
of Fame, he thinks Pete 
Rose should be despite his 
admission of betting on 
baseball games, Raider said.
“Wade also said he attends 
the Hall of Fame induction 
in Cooperstown every 
year because of the Hall of 
Famers who came to his 
induction. That meant a lot 
to him,” Raider said.
Boggs is legendary for 
stories told about him. He 
was more than happy to 
expound on the stories with 
guests at the invitational, 
Raider said.
While Boggs’ beer 
drinking and chicken eating 
escapades are funny, his 
strictly regimented lifestyle 
and superstitions played big 
roles in his success on the 
diamond.
He drew the Hebrew word 
“Chai” (good luck) in the 
dirt every time he batted to 
wish himself good luck.
Boggs played for the 
Boston Red Sox, New York 
Yankees and Tampa Bay 
Rays from 1982-1999. He 
had 3,010 hits in his major 
league career and a lifetime 
.328 batting average.
He was not a home run 
hitter. He had just 118 in 18 
seasons.
Boggs became a high 
school baseball coach 
after retiring from playing 
baseball. The 66-year-old 
Omaha, Neb., native has 
switched to grandfather 
mode, Raider said, spending 
time with his seven 
grandchildren.
MJSF executive director 
Don Rudick said there were 
106 golfers, 16 pickleball 
players and eight tennis 
players at the invitational, 
along with 90 people who 

came for the dinner and 
festivities, which included 
door prizes, a 50-50 raffle, 
and live and silent auctions.
The invitational co-chairs 
were Brian Eisenberg and JJ 
Modell for golf and Jeffrey 
Deitch for tennis. Steve 
Greenberg is the honorary 
co-chair of the event.
The invitational is a 
fundraiser for the Karmanos 
Cancer Institute — Lawrence 
and Idell Weisberg Cancer 
Center in Farmington Hills. 
About $2 million has been 
raised through the years, 
Raider said.
The MJSF is celebrating 
its 40th anniversary this 
year. Next on its calendar is 
the 37th annual Michigan 
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame 
induction dinner Oct. 28 at 
The J in West Bloomfield.
The Jewish News High 
School Athletes of the Year, 
Dr. Steven and Evelyn 
Rosen Stars of Tomorrow 
Scholarship recipients, 
and Alvin & Shirley Foon 
Humanitarian Award 
recipient also will be 
honored that night. 

Send sports news 

to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

Wade Boggs received the 
Hank Greenberg Lifetime 
Achievement Award at the 
Greenberg Invitational.

