Sammy Sosa’s strained relationship with the Chicago Cubs appears to be on the mend. The retired MLB star, 56, shared a public apology Thursday that appeared to acknowledge his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs during his award-winning baseball career, writing that he had “made mistakes” in the past, the Associated Press reported.
Sosa, who was one of baseball’s stars in the 1990s, has long been accused of using steroids throughout his career, as many baseball players did at the time. His 66-game home run in 1998 still stands as one of the greatest hits of all time and is fondly remembered by Cubs fans, who watched him chase down rival star St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire throughout the summer as they raced to break Roger Maris’ long-standing record of 61 home runs in a season.
McGwire finished with 70 and Sosa finished with 66 in one of baseball’s most memorable years – which later became the subject of ESPN Long ago last summer documentary.
But seven years after the magical season, both Sosa and McGwire were among MLB players called to testify before the US Congress amid a federal hearing focused on illegal steroid use in baseball. While many players from what became known as baseball’s “steroid era” have admitted to using PEDs — including McGwire — Sosa has long maintained his innocence, leading to strained relations with his former team.
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In his statement Thursday, Sosa appeared to acknowledge the controversy but did not specifically acknowledge steroid use: “I understand why some players in my era don’t always get the credit that our stats deserve.”
Sammy Sosa.
MLB via Getty
“There were times when I did everything I could to recover from injuries in an attempt to maintain strength to play 162-plus games,” Sosa said in his statement Thursday. “I never broke any laws, but looking back, I made mistakes and I apologize.”
Sosa, who is ninth all-time among MLB’s home run leaders, has been estranged from the Cubs franchise since his retirement in 2007 despite being adored by fans. While many former players have returned to act as team advocates or appear at fan conventions, Sosa’s absence has long been noticeable among fans.
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Sammy Sosa.
Ron Vesely/MLB via Getty
It has long been suspected that Sosa’s refusal to acknowledge his alleged steroid use was what kept him away from the Cubs franchise. That became evident Thursday when current Cubs owner Tom Ricketts issued a team statement shortly after Sosa’s public apology, inviting the retired hitter to the team’s upcoming fan convention in mid-January. “We appreciate Sammy for releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Ricketts said in his statement. “No one played harder or wanted to win more. No one is perfect, but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.”
The team president added that “we are all ready to move forward together”.
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Source: HIS Education