Former Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa is being elected to the team’s Hall of Fame, alongside former first baseman Derek Lee.
The step towards reconciliation between Sosa and the Cubs began when Sosa released a statement in December.
“There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games. I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize,” Sosa said in a statement through Aurora Global Consulting.
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After that statement, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said the team is “ready to move forward together” and invited Sosa to the Cubs’ annual fan convention.
Sosa attending the convention was the first time he had been with the Cubs in any official capacity since he last played for the team in 2004.
Sosa said that the apology in his statement from December was not about using performance-enhancing drugs.
“No. I’m referring, for example, look, 21 years out. I had the fans that loved me very much. I had to apologize to them, because, I mean, normally, they see me play so many years.”
When Sosa was announced at the convention, he received a large ovation and ran onto the stage with an American Flag.
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“People grow up,” Sosa said via ESPN. “That’s what happened to me. To give that statement out, it was the right time for me. The response right away was incredible. Now, the door is open, I have to continue to contribute (to the organization).”
“I think that today was a perfect day.”
Sosa played 13 seasons with the Cubs and is the franchise record-holder with 545 home runs.
Sosa finished his big league career with a .273 batting average and 609 homers — currently ninth on the career list. He also had 1,667 RBIs and 234 stolen bases in 18 seasons from 1989 to 2007.
Because a lot of Sosa’s success has been clouded by questions about performance-enhancing drug use throughout his career, he did not make the Hall of Fame on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot.
Sosa’s next chance for Hall of Fame consideration will be if he makes the ballot for the contemporary player committee.
Sosa and Lee will be recognized in the team’s Hall of Fame at a game this summer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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