Five-time American League batting champion Wade Boggs and nine-time National League Gold Glove award winner Ryne Sandberg will receive baseball's highest honor on Sunday by being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Boggs, who spent 11 seasons of his illustrious career as a third baseman with the Boston Red Sox, was elected in his first year of eligibility. Sandberg, who was a standout second baseman with the Chicago Cubs for 15 of his 16 seasons, was chosen in his third year of eligibility. Boggs ended his 18-year career (1982-99) with a .328 average, 118 homers and 1,014 RBI. He had 3,010 hits, 24th most on the all-time list. A 12-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner at third base, Boggs spent the first 11 years of his career in Boston and then five seasons with the Yankees. He captured a World Series crown in 1996 with New York, before ending with two years at Tampa Bay. Although he played for three teams, Boggs' plaque will feature a Red Sox logo. Now 47, Boggs is the only one whose 3,000th hit was a home run, in 1999 for the Devil Rays. He had an American League-record seven consecutive years of 200 or more hits and led the league in intentional walks six straight seasons, another AL record. He is the 12th third baseman to gain entry into the Hall of Fame. Boggs hit .349 or higher six times during the first seven years of his career (1982-88). The year he didn't reach that mark was 1984 when he batted .325. One of the most superstitious players in baseball history, Boggs woke up at the same time each morning and would only eat chicken before each game, and thus was nicknamed "Chicken Man" by former Red Sox teammate Jim Rice. For night games, Boggs stepped into the batting cage at 5:17 and ran wind sprints at 7:17. He fielded exactly 150 ground balls during infield practice and before stepping into the batter's box he would draw the Hebrew word "chai" (which means 'to life') in the batter's box. "I was very regimented," Boggs said. "Growing up in a military family, you eat dinner at the same time every day and you go to school at the same time every day. I was used to being on a schedule. I used the superstitions for being on a schedule, rather than showing up to the ballpark and jumping off the bus, getting dressed real quick, and doing things like that." The 45-year-old Sandberg, the 17th second baseman selected for the Hall of Fame, finished his career (1981-97) with a .285 average with 282 home runs and 1,061 RBI. He topped the National League with 40 homers in 1990 and his 277 total homers as a second baseman are behind only Jeff Kent all time. The NL Most Valuable Player in 1984 and a 10-time All-Star, Sandberg holds the career record for fielding percentage (.989) among second basemen and also has the distinction for consecutive errorless games in a season (90 in 1989) and over two seasons (123) at the position. Sandberg was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft and broke into the majors in 1981 with the team before being traded, along with former shortstop Larry Bowa, to the Cubs in exchange for shortstop Ivan DeJesus. Sandberg's first season with the Cubs was spent mostly at third base, but then he went on to dominate second in record fashion. "I strived to be the best all-around player that I could be: that's offense, defense, baserunning, bunting, being able to get the guy over to third base with a man on second and no one out, doing little things, and doing a lot of things correctly," Sandberg said. "That's kind of what I think. I was the type of player that if you've watched one game, you might not be too exited about. But if you watched 162 games played, then I think you might see something." The induction ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. (et). Also being recognized will be Jerry Coleman, the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence; and Peter Gammons, the winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, presented annually to a sportswriter for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.