Sammy Sosa Issues Apology, Tom Ricketts Extends Invitation to Cubs Convention
This topic has long since been sent to the glue factory and any additional commentary from me would just be regurgitating what I’ve written over the past several years. That said, Thursday saw a huge development as the frosty relationship between Sammy Sosa and the Cubs appears to have thawed. The franchise icon has been a pariah since walking out on the team at the end of the 2004 season after his exploits allowed ownership to bump ticket prices from mid-range to the highest in the National League during his tenure.
The Ricketts family wasn’t around for those days but has reaped the fruits of Sosa’s superstardom while also keeping him away. Now that he’s formally apologized and has tacitly admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs, the team chairman has chosen to invite Sosa to Cubs Convention in January. That should be fun, and I’m guessing this paves the way for his indication into the Cubs Hall of Fame next summer.
See below for the statements.
Sosa:
I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy.
I loved to see the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game.
I understand why some players in my era don’t always get the recognition that our stats deserve.
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 | apologize.
We accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter.
Cubs’ fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward.
We can’t change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.
Sincerely,
Sammy Sosa
Ricketts:
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.
It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”