During the 1980's, Wade Boggs primarily used Louisville Slugger Model Bats.  I spoke with a representative at Louisville Slugger in 1999 and they informed me that during the 80's, Boggs primarily ordered Louisville Slugger R161 model bats and C235 model bats. He may have used other Louisville's in the 80's.  His bats typically were 34" - 35" in length and weighed around 32 ounces. 

In the early 90's, Boggs almost exclusively used B349 Model Louisville Slugger bats as pictured below.  He used these with the Red Sox and the Yankees, as well as with the Devil Rays.  Louisville Slugger B349 Model red Sox bats are very tough to find, as he went to the Yankees in 1993 and the only Red Sox models with the team name on the barrel would be found in 1991 and 1992.

Relative to Adirondack bats, his favorite model was the 456B with the same length and weight characteristics as the Louisville bats mentioned above.  Please see the 1986 Boggs All Star bat below.  That is a 456B model.  He stuck with the 456B through his days with the Yankees and the Devil Rays.  Around 1994 - 1995, he really started using the Adirondack two tone ( black barrel / white handle ) almost as much as Louisville bats, if not more.  Please note the Adirondack Yankees 1996 456B Model Boggs bat below.  He also used a natural 456B, but very sparingly.

It should be noted that around this same time he switched to Adirondack, his Louisville bats became block letter bats and he may have let his contract with Louisville expire.  If you find a B349 Model Louisville Slugger Yankees bat, it is probably from the 1995 -1997 era.

Boggs also used Coopers, but very rarely.  There are probably other bats he experimented with, but Louisville Sluggers were clearly his favorite in the 80's and 90's, till he started using Adirondacks quite a bit in the mid 90's.

I have personally owned over 15 Boggs bats, as early as 1980 - 1983 Louisville Sluggers to 1998 Louisville Sluggers while he was with the Devil Rays.  I am very confident when I have a real Boggs gamer in my hand, as he was so predictable as to how he used the bat.  One thing to note about Boggs, he would wear his favorite bats out.  If he found a good stick, he stayed with it.  If you want a Boggs bat, get one with tons of use - that is how he liked them. Starting with the barrel, Boggs almost exclusively ( with rare exception ) only used one side of the barrel to hit - the right side of the bat if you are holding the label up, as a Left-handed hitter would do such as Boggs.  The other side of the barrel would be void of ball marks but should have cleat and shoe marks.  Please see the 1996 Adirondack bat below and note the photos of both sides of the barrel.  Also notice how tight the hitting area was - Boggs was a master at hitting the ball over and over again in the same area. Stay away from Boggs bats with ball marks on the left side of the barrel when holding the label up - it may have been used by Boggs, but most likely by another player.

Relative to tar markings - he was very consistent in the 90's - He always had tar at the

very bottom of the handle and also tar around the label.  The more he used the bat, the

more tar there would be.  The amount of tar should be consistent with the amount of use on the barrel.  Be wary of Boggs bats with tons of tar and light use.  They may be bats that have been doctored.  Please see the photos of all the bats below showing this

consistency in tar markings.  In the 80's, he was not as consistent, especially early in his

career - before 1986.  After 1986, he became more consistent by applying heavy tar on the bottom handle and around the label.  Pre - 86 bats have tar, but it was more liberally dispersed on typically the upper handle and label. Regarding the knob, Boggs throughout his career marked his knobs distinctly.  In the 80's it was either WB or 26 - with a very distinct "2".  In the 90''s when he went to the Yankees, all his bats that I have owned ( and I have had about 10 Yankees bats ), they all had a 12 as pictured below on the 1996 Adirondack that is shown.  His numbers were always big and bold on the knob.

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