Nothing Cures Problems Like Winning

The season opens for the Boston Red Sox, a serious entrant in the American League East, and, at third base, doing business as usual, stands Wade Boggs, marvel of resiliency.

It is only two years ago that the world writes off Mr. Boggs, consigned to the graveyard where ball players go to bury their reputations.

A woman tells a story to Penthouse magazine, revealing Wade’s secret life--with her. Wade is married to another woman. They have two children. A batsman who once hits .368, he is a hero in a town renowned for paying homage to its heroes.

The story the other woman discloses--never refuted by Boggs--isn’t one of demure romance. We are talking orgies. She even revealed that often when they made love, they fantasized the involvement of a third party.

On the road, she reported, Wade engaged her in phone sex. The tale she spun left readers transfixed.

Regaining their composure, they bade bon voyage to Wade, convinced no public figure could survive material such as this.

Obviously, they didn’t reckon with the indestructible spirit of humans. Wade that year hit .330. Last year, he hit .302.

And he is out there this year with customary prominence, a favorite son of Fenway.

The recuperative qualities of athletes makes an intriguing study involving not only the athletes, but those who come out to watch them.

We are a forgiving society, usually blaming our courts for leniency often reflecting our own.

Darryl Strawberry returns from spring training in Florida with the Dodgers. Trotting out to right field at Dodger Stadium, he is received with a standing ovation.

The cheers are so persistent he raises an arm and cheers back.

This is Darryl Strawberry, former alcohol case, rebel, fistfighter, a man who once faced a charge (later dropped) for assault with a deadly weapon after he threatened his wife with a handgun.

Are Dodger fans mad at Darryl? Not at all; he could hit 40 home runs. Right now, he also is placid.

Is anyone upset with Doc Gooden, who did a rehab stretch for drugs, fought with cops and carried on in ways generally antisocial?

Doc just put the arm on more money than any other pitcher in baseball except Roger Clemens.

Luis Polonia gets a hand from folks at Anaheim. He is coming off a rap in Milwaukee where he does a little time for sexual involvement with a minor. The Brewers run him out of town.

From Green Bay, James Lofton is run out, a scandal developing from a charge (never substantiated) by a woman of sexual assault.

Taking refuge with the Raiders, whose fans love him, James is released and picked up by Buffalo, where fans love him even more.

At the Super Bowl, a Buffalo hero, he is besieged by autograph-seekers and authors alike.

So is his teammate, Bruce Smith. Bruce is coming off time in drug rehab, pretty much as his distinguished opponent in the Super Bowl, Lawrence Taylor, resurrecting himself from the effects of whatever he was using.

You want a good table at a New York or New Jersey dining palace? Drop the name of Lawrence. He gets big respect there.

It was felt we could say arrivederci to James Worthy when he was charged with soliciting a female cop for sex at a fee.

But the Lakers are going to the playoffs again, James is a vital part of the Lakers, and folks greet him at the Forum as they might a beloved uncle arriving at the airport from Romania.

Does anyone in Oakland care how much Jose Canseco is paying for car insurance? He has so many speeding tickets that cops asking for a check on him by computer think they are being sent “War and Peace.”

Since Pete Rose no longer goes to the plate, you can’t be sure how fast fans will forgive him. If he banged out 200 hits this year, his troubles stemming from tax cheating would have a better chance of vaporizing in the minds of his followers.

All of which leads us to the case of Todd Marinovich, the wayward USC quarterback, made to answer for drug possession and mysterious behavior.

Marinovich is due up in the NFL draft. If he goes to a team, throws for a score or scrambles for 30 yards, you don’t want to worry about lingering stigmas.

Todd will take his place with all the others in that niche sports fans reserve in their hearts for errant sons.