Sosa makes emotional return to Wrigley for first time in two decades

CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa tapped his heart and blew kisses to the Wrigley Field crowd on Friday afternoon as his image was displayed on the old ballpark’s video board beyond the left-field bleachers. It was a familiar sight for Cubs fans, but one that was more than two decades in waiting.

Sosa had not been back to the Friendly Confines in 21 years, but with fences mended with the ballclub over the winter, the Cubs icon returned to the site of his long list of heroics. Sosa flashed his famous smile and offered a laugh when asked if he was worried at all that there might be a mixed reaction to his presence.

“Are you kidding? This is my house,” Sosa said during the Cubs’ 9-4 loss to the Mariners.

In some ways, it is also the house that Sosa helped rebuild.

Wrigley Field and the surrounding neighborhood has been transformed in the years since he slugged home runs onto Waveland Ave. and blew kisses into the camera next to the home dugout. His chase of the single-season home run record with Mark McGwire in 1998 was must-see TV across the baseball world.

“He was part of it changing,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Sosa’s impact on the organization.

So it was no surprise when the Wrigley crowd on Friday rose together and steadily raised the decibel level in the ballpark as a montage to Sosa played before the third inning against the Mariners. There were some light chants of “Sammy, Sammy!” as the fans began to understand the moment. Those chants grew louder when Sosa was spotted in the TV booth in the fifth.

“It was incredible,” Sosa said. “I’m just happy to be back, especially with the ovation the fans gave to me. That touched me. That got me. Everybody standing up, it was an emotional moment for me.”

That moment came after Sosa returned to Cubs Convention in January to a rousing response. He then spent some time in Spring Training as a guest instructor for the Cubs earlier this year, giving him a chance to get back in the batting tunnel and on the fields with players. Utility man Vidal Bruján had a fun moment when he belted a spring homer after a chat with Sosa.

“It was great to have him in Spring Training,” Cubs left fielder Ian Happ said. “It’s great for him to be around. I think the fans are excited about it. You saw with the convention and Spring Training, just how excited the fanbase is to have him back.”

During the Sept. 5-7 home series against the Nationals, the Cubs will induct Sosa and Derrek Lee into the team’s Hall of Fame, honoring each with a plaque at the ballpark and a special blue suit jacket.

“My suit will be Louis Vuitton,” Sosa quipped with a smile.

Sosa owns the Cubs’ record for career home runs with 545 blasts, including the team’s single-season mark of 66 in his historic ‘98 campaign. That summer, the former Cubs right fielder finished second to McGwire (70) in their pursuit of Roger Maris’ mark (61 for the ‘61 Yankees), but Sosa took the Cubs to the playoffs and won the National League MVP trophy.

With the Cubs, Sosa was a seven-time All-Star and picked up six Silver Sluggers, amassing 296 doubles, 1,414 RBIs, 1,245 runs scored, 1,985 hits, 181 stolen bases, 798 walks and 3,980 total bases in 1,811 games for the Cubs. He topped 60 homers three times (an MLB record) and set a long list of records in his 13 years with the North Siders.

“He asked to be in the lineup, because the wind’s blowing out,” Counsell said. “Our fans, they spent a lot of time enjoying Sammy’s great performances on the field, entertaining baseball fans. So to have him back is a lot of fun.”

On Thursday, Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong became the fastest player in team history to reach at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a season. Whose record did he break? Sosa's, naturally. Crow-Armstrong did it in 73 games, shattering Sosa’s mark of 96 games in 1994.

Prior to Friday’s game, Sosa and Crow-Armstrong got together for a photo outside the team’s clubhouse.

“He’s doing fantastic,” Sosa said. “He already has 20-20, and I believe it could be 30-30 or 40-40, you never know. He has that capability. He’s a very smart hitter.”

Beyond the numbers, Sosa simply knew how to put on a show with his all-out sprints to his position and famous leaps out of the batter’s box on home runs.

“Sammy was a true entertainer,” Counsell said. “He was really great at that. He understood that. And he was phenomenal at it. I admire him for that.”

Sosa was asked what he hopes jumps to mind when Cubs fans think about his playing days.

“Well, they have a lot to remember, right?” Sosa said.