Pat Hughes reacts to Sammy Sosa's return to Cubs |
Former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa has apologized to the team for his past behavior and has been officially welcomed back to Chicago by the team’s ownership.
Longtime Cubs radio announcer Pat Hughes shared his fond memories of Sosa during an appearance on Cubs 360. “Sammy and I got along great, and the great home run chase between Sammy and Mark McGwire in 1998 was an absolute thrill to be a part of,” Hughes said on Cubs 360. “They were setting records hitting home runs. They put on these batting practice displays that were worth the price of admission. Unbelievable. Just one after another, a rocket hit by either man in batting practice.” Hughes also recalled Sosa’s relentless work ethic in the batting cages to improve his game. “He was two things that you cannot deny and not take away from him: he was a gamer and he was a worker. He spent a lot of time in the batting cage every single day, and he played every single day. [The 1998 home run chase] was an experience. It seemed like that was real at the time. I think baseball lost a lot of fans, if you recall back in 1994 when the strike ended the season; that home run chase did a lot to bring a lot of the fans back.” Hughes hopes Sosa will attend the 2025 Cubs Convention, believing fans will embrace him with open arms. “It’s going to be great to see him at the Cubs Convention,” Hughes said. “Sammy was always good with the fans, and I think that he will receive a thunderous ovation from the people at the Opening Ceremonies at the Cubs Convention if in fact he’s there for that. Sammy always waved to the fans in the right field bleachers. He was good with them, and he was always smiling.”
