Sammy Sosa's Biography

President George W. Bush, when asked his biggest mistake as an adult, said: "Trading Sammy Sosa."

Since then, Sosa had a great record with the bat for Chicago Cubs. In 1998 Sosa hit an astonishing 66 runs and 158 RBIs, and was named the National League's MVP.

In 1999, Sammy Sosa became the first player to hit 60 homers in two different major league seasons. A record he topped in 2001 when he became the first player to have three 60+ home run seasons in major league history.

In 2003 Sosa was suspended for seven games when a shattered bat was revealed to have cork in it.

Previously an outfielder with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and the Chicago Cubs, in February 2005 Sammy Sosa completed his move from the Chicago Cubs to the Baltimore Orioles.

When the move was announced, Sosa said:

"I spent 13 years in Chicago, and they were some of the best years of my life.

"It was a beautiful experience for my wife and my family. I'll always carry Chicago in my heart, but now I'm here in Baltimore, in my new house."

Along with Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi, Curt Schilling, Rafael Palmeiro, Frank Thomas and Jose Canseco, author of an expose of steroid abuse, Sammy Sosa was subpoenaed to testify at a House Government Reform Committee hearing investigating the use of steroids in the sport on March 17, 2005.

Sammy Sosa and Palmeiro denied taking drugs, whereas Canseco and McGwire took the fifth amendment to avoid self-incrimination.

In 1998, McGwire and Sosa staged an exciting home-run race, but now McGwire's single-season record of 70 homers is under a cloud.

Sosa's year with the Baltimore Orioles was relatively poor - he batted .221 with 14 homers and 45 RBIs in 2005. It left him fifth on the career home run list with 588 but it was unclear whether he would play in 2006 after he rejected an offer from the Washington Nationals.

Indeed, Sosa did not play in the 2006 season, but, in 2007, he became the designated hitter for the Texas Rangers and in June 2007, against the Chicago Cubs, he hit his 600th home run.