Sammy Sosa: the big hitter with a big heart: first big league player to post four straight 50-homer, 138-RBI seasons, and founder of Sammy Sosa Charitable Foundation - Top Ten Latinos

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, Dec, 2003 by Gabriela Velazquez

"I TOUCH MY HEART with a two-finger salute after getting a hit and then I blow kisses, one for my mother and one more for the family and relatives back home," says Sammy Sosa, one of the most remarkable Latino baseball players at present.

He was born in the Dominican Republic on November 12, 1968, the fifth of seven children from a poor family. His father died when he was just seven years old, and he had to do all sorts of small jobs to bring back home the little money he could earn to help his mother. He started playing baseball with a tree branch for the bat he could not afford and did not use real equipment until he entered the Santo Domingo small leagues. Sosa was spotted by the Texas Rangers and signed to their minor league. He made it to the major leagues in 1989, but his first seasons were really bad, and he was traded twice. At the time he was signed by the Chicago Cubs, he knew it was his last chance to stay in the major leagues and provide a decent living for his family. It was a slow process, but his determination developed the skills he now displays on the field. Finally, in 1997 he signed a $42 million four-year contract.

The 1998 season was memorable for Sammy Sosa. He led the Cubs to their first playoffs since 1989, and, in a now historical chase with Mark McGwire, left behind the 61 home run season record Maris had held since 1961. McGwire finished with a total of 70 home runs and Sammy with just 66, but he was named the National League's Most Valuable Player and the Player's Choice Award for Outstanding NL Player.

Fame and glory did not blur the memory of his beloved family and country. For every home run he hit during that fabulous season he donated forty computers for schools in the Dominican Republic. Sunday games in Chicago were called "Sammy days" because he gave away tickets to underprivileged children. That same year, after hurricane George devastated his island, he sent food, water, and help to rebuild homes and created the Sammy Sosa Charitable Foundation (SSCF) to raise funds to help the poor children in Chicago and the Dominican Republic. In 1999 this foundation opened the Sammy Sosa Children's Medical Center in San Pedro de Marcoris, his birthplace. He was recognized as the Player's Choice Man of the Year.

Sammy Sosa holds a great number of records. He is the Latino who has accumulated the most home runs in a single season, for instance. He is also the first player in big league history to post four straight 50-homer, 138-RBI seasons. In his country he is nearly a legend, and in the US he is a source of pride for the Latino community. His heart is as big as his low pitch is deadly. He will surely one day become a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but Sammy's most valuable accomplishment is being the hero of many children who, thanks to him, have greatly improved their health and education.