Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than two decades

CHICAGO – The legendary banger of the Cubs Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years Friday before Chicago’s afternoon match with the Seattle Mariners.

Sosa, which should be inducted into the renowned temple of the Cubs team this year, arrived at the emblematic stadium of the North Side in a black SUV. He was greeted by the owner Tom Ricketts, who kissed him in a hug when leaving the vehicle.

SOSA became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in an exchange of the White Sox in Crosstown in March 1992. Septime-Etoiles, Sosa struck 545 Homers in 1811 games with the Cubs and struck a franchise record 66 in 1998 when he was appointed MVP of NL.

SOSA, now 56, played his last match with the Cubs in Wrigley on October 2, 2004, when he succeeded and succeeded two strokes in an 8-6 defeat against Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa seemed to be folded up considerably and was a headliner in a generation of larger names in baseball linked to drugs improving performance.

The Cubs exchanged him in Baltimore with Cash in February 2005 against three players.

SOSA seemed to be recognized by using drugs improving performance in December when he published a statement saying that he was sorry for the errors, without specifying them.

“There were times when I did everything I could to get injured in order to keep my strength to perform more than 162 games,” he said in the statement. “I have never violated laws. But with hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.”

Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with Rising Cubs Star Pete Crow-Armstrong in front of the team clubhouse and a video showed that Sosa kissing the manager Craig Counsell in his office before the match.

“(SOSA) saw the wind explode today and planned this trip around a good day to be here,” joked Counsell. “He asked to be aligned because the wind blows.”

The Cubs honored Sosa from a tribute to the video card after the second round. Sosa made a sign of the hand and bowed in front of the fans of a suite during the presentation.

During the Thursday 8-7 defeat against Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to establish a new team record to reach 20 circuits and more than 20 stolen stolen bases, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old brand of 96, which took place in 1994.

Counsell, who faced SOSA as a player, praised the old knock for his strength on the plate and long circuits, as well as to Star Power.

“Probably the best thing, Sammy was a real artist,” said Counsell. “I think that when you are long enough, you realize that this is part of it.

“We are also here to entertain and I think Sammy was great about that.”