"Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that's why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right"

Wade Boggs, an iconic American Major League Baseball player, bestows profound sentiment through this heartfelt expression towards his father. The thought emphasizes that a man's biological contribution in bringing a child into the world does not automatically grant him the esteemed title of a 'dad'. Becoming a father is a biological process, but being a dad demands patience, love, care, commitment, effort, sacrifice, and, above all, the willingness to shoulder the responsibilities that come with it.

Significantly, when Boggs says, "I call you dad", it reveals his deep sense of respect and admiration for the person he calls 'dad.' This person is not just a father figure in the biological sense but someone who played an irreplaceable role in shaping Boggs' life and personality, and he recognizes and cherishes this.

The connection between a child and a father who earns the title ‘dad’ is profoundly special. A dad instills in a child values, principles, skills, and wisdom, creating a strong foundation for the child’s life. "You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right", acknowledges that the father figure in Boggs's life not only introduced him to the 'game', a metaphor for life or baseball, perhaps, but also taught him the right way to play it.

Ultimately, Boggs takes a step beyond the measure of biological relationships to explore the emotional depth and spiritual bond between a child and a true dad. Contributing DNA might make someone a father, but it's their unremitting efforts in nurturing and guiding a child that makes them a 'dad'. Boggs brilliantly encapsulates this notion, showing gratitude to his dad while subtly urging all fathers to strive for this deeper bond with their offspring.