Sammy Sosa Elected to Chicago Cubs' Hall of Fame Weeks After Apologizing for 'Mistakes' on Team: 'Right Time'

Sammy Sosa has been elected to the Chicago Cubs' Hall of Fame, alongside former first baseman Derrek Lee, less than a month after Sosa issued an apology over "mistakes" he made during his decorated baseball career.

The 56-year-old former MLB star, who is ninth among the league's all-time home-run leaders, attended the Cubs' annual fan convention in Chicago on Friday, Jan. 17, when the team's chairman, Thomas Ricketts, announced that both Sosa and Lee, 49, would be inducted into the team's hall in 2025, per the MLB.

“It was like I was running to right field,” Sosa said of the honor, per the league. “Fantastic. The fans deserved it. I put on a show today. Everyone was happy. I saw a lot of smiles. I think that today was a perfect day.”

“People, they say you grow up. That’s what happened to me,” he added. “I believe that me making the first step to get that statement out, I think it was the right time for me. And the response right away was incredible. Pretty much, that’s all I needed. And now the door is open.”

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As previously reported, Sosa issued a public apology in December, in which he admitted to making "mistakes" during his time in the league, writing in a statement that he understood "why some players in my era don't always get the recognition 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," Sosa wrote at the time. "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight I made mistakes and I apologize.”

Sosa, as with other baseball players from his era, had long been accused of using steroids during his career following a historic 66-home run season in 1998. He previously claimed his innocence when asked about using PEDs and had been estranged from his former franchise since his 2007 retirement.

Following his apology last month, Ricketts issued a statement on behalf of the team and invited Sosa to the fan convention, where he would later learn of his hall-of-fame honor.

“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Ricketts said. “No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.”

The team’s chairman added at the time that “we are all ready to move forward together.”

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While speaking with reporters at Friday's event, according to the Chicago Tribune, Sosa explained that “the statement is the statement" and said he didn't "want to go back and [revisit it]." After being asked if he was referring to PEDs in his December statement, he said, "No."

“I’m referring to … look, 21 years out [of the game]. I have fans that love me very much," Sosa said. "I have to apologize to them because normally they see me play so many years that I was here.”

According to ESPN, both Sosa and Lee will be recognized by the Cubs during a game this summer, which will mark Sosa's first official event at Wrigley Field since 2004. Lee played with the Cubs from 2004 to 2010, while Sosa joined the Chicago team in 1992 before leaving in 2004.

In a news release, Ricketts described Sosa and Lee as "two of the greatest hitters ever to play for the Chicago Cubs" and said the franchise was "privileged" to have Sosa back at the convention. Sosa said he was "honored to be in the Cubs Hall of Fame" and looks forward "to returning this summer for the ceremony."

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