Sammy The Super Hero This past summer a major record was broken in the Major League. Roger Maris's home run record of 61 was shattered, not only by one person but by two people. It was broken by Mark Mcguire of the Cardinals with 71 home runs and by Sammy Sosa of the Cubs with 66 home runs. Most of the time people hear about Mark McGuire because he had more home runs, but what about Sammy Sosa? After all he was a much more dominating player leading the NL in RBIs, hits, and total bases. He also led his Chicago Cubs team to the playoffs for the first in eight years. So, why isn't Sammy getting the same recognition as Mark McGuire. Finally, now that his memorial season is over he is getting the long overdue credit for all his accomplishments. Not only on the field but off the field as well.
Sammy Sosa formerly of the Baltimore Orioles at th...
English: "Slammin" Sammy Sosa at bat for the Chica...
English: Sammy Sosa 1998-99 Chicago Cubs home base...The 1998 season was defiantly a memorable season for Page 2 Sammy Sosa. When the Cubs traded for him in 1992 they knew they were getting a good player, but they had no idea they were getting the super star that Sosa has turned into. During the 1998 season Sosa turned from a fading Cubs outfielder into a booming super star. All season long he along with Mark McGuire and Ken Griffey Jr. made the much more exciting with their neck and neck, nose to nose run for the title of home run king. Both of them ended up breaking the Major League record and both of them had excellent seasons. Sammy established career highs in batting average, home runs, RBIs, runs scored, hits and walks. He also led the majors in RBIs, runs scored, and total basses. He hit sixty-six home runs the second most in a single season (second behind McGuire's seventy-one). He was named NL MVP by a large margin of votes over Mark McGuire. The Cubs also made it to the playoffs with Sosa's help for the first time since 1989 when they won their division championship. Sosa's accomplishments were great as a player on the field. He credits his success to hard work and Page 3 Flintstone's vitamins.
Not only were Sosa's actions on the field a success, but he also proved an all around good person. He showed that he cares very much for his fans. Sosa never declined to give a fan an autograph and he never forgot the fans that helped him through, both good times and bad times. He also put his stardom status to use by helping out more underprivileged people. During his extraordinary 1998 campaign Sosa created many foundations to help out others. The Sammy Sosa foundation was a foundation he created to raise funds for underprivileged children in the Chicago area and in his home country of the Dominican Republic. This organization helped many not just because he felt he had to, but because Sammy Sosa enjoys helping others out. Sosa wasn't always a rich star and he figures that God made him a star for a reason. He remembers how it was to be underprivileged. At the end of the 1998 season Sosa received a Gene Autry Courage Award for demonstrating heroism in the face of difficulty or adversity, overcoming hardships to inspire others. Sosa Page 4 was very deserving of this award. The things Sosa does to help others shows great character. He is a great rolemodel for people of all ages to look up to. The world would be a great place if it were filled with caring, honest people such as Sammy Sosa. He is not only a great player on the field, but he's also a great person off the field.
Sammy Sosa is also known as a person who doesn't forget the roots from which he came. Sosa is from the Domican Republic. This summer a hurricane swept over his home country destroying many parts, and leaving many of his country men homeless. Sosa cared for these people very deeply. He sent millions of dollars to his home country, set up organization to raise money for his country and he encouraged many others to give generous donations. These were great acts of kindness. He also cares for his family. Remembering how his family helped him all through his life, he takes care of them. He does such generous acts as buy his parents houses, sends his relatives parts of his salary, and he even got his brother Jose into the Cubs minor league system. These are probably the reasons Sosa has so many die hard fans. He cares for his people and he never forgets Page 5 what someone does for him.
Sosa helped the staggering baseball get back a firm hold in the sports world. He helped change the image of the players from a bunch of whining millionaires to that of generous entertainers who are always there for their fans. Sosa along with McGuire and Griffy led the recharging of baseball during their extremely competitive home run chase. This past season was probably one of the best baseball playing seasons the world has ever seen. Sosa also led a charge for Dominican Republicans . He brought his country out into a spotlight. He showed that people from his country could fight the adversity of poor neighborhoods and the discrimination of American ball players, and rise to the top of Major league Baseball. Thanks to Sammy we all love baseball again. Sammy has written his own history in the books. He will now be remembered always as one of the best ball players in history. This past season along with all his other great seasons has given Sosa almost a sure spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
English: Sammy Sosa taking one of his famous might...
Sammy Sosa
took this myself in 1998 during home run chase 03:...