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Associated Press
Jun 20, 2025, 01:55 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the archetypal clip successful much than 20 years connected Friday earlier Chicago's day crippled with the Seattle Mariners.
Sosa, who is acceptable to beryllium inducted into the Cubs' squad Hall of Fame this year, arrived astatine the iconic North Side ballpark successful a achromatic SUV. He was greeted by proprietor Tom Ricketts, who embraced him successful a hug arsenic helium exited the vehicle.
Sosa became the look of the Cubs franchise wherever helium played 13 seasons aft coming successful a commercialized from the crosstown White Sox successful March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa deed 545 homers successful 1,811 games with the Cubs and deed a franchise-record 66 successful 1998 erstwhile helium was named the NL's MVP.
Sosa, present 56, played his last crippled with the Cubs astatine Wrigley connected Oct. 2, 2004, erstwhile helium homered and had 2 hits successful an 8-6 nonaccomplishment to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner successful a procreation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs.
The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with currency successful February 2005 for 3 players.
Sosa appeared to admit utilizing performance-enhancing drugs successful December erstwhile helium released a connection saying helium was atrocious for mistakes, without specifying them.
"There were times I did immoderate I could to retrieve from injuries successful an effort to support my spot up to execute implicit 162 games," helium said successful the statement. "I ne'er broke immoderate laws. But successful hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize."
On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs prima Pete Crow-Armstrong extracurricular the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell successful his bureau earlier the game.
The Cubs remained mum, however, connected immoderate ceremonial oregon lawsuit earlier oregon during Friday's game.
In Thursday's 8-7 nonaccomplishment to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went heavy to acceptable a caller squad grounds for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it successful 73 games. Sosa had the aged people of 96, acceptable successful 1994.
