Sports
Sammy Sosa admits to making 'mistakes' amid steroid speculation, apologizes to estranged Cubs
Sammy Sosa had not been invited back to Wrigley Field, or anything Cubs-related, since he retired in 2007, but all that has changed.
It has long been speculated that Sosa took performance-enhancing drugs during his career, most notably during his home run binge in the late ’90s.
Cubs ownership has long said Sosa would need to apologize and all but admit to taking steroids for the relationship to be mended.
Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs during the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in game 3 of the 2003 NLDS at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (Dilip Vishwanat/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, as the Cubs announced a festival for fans, Sosa admitted he “made mistakes.”
“I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy. I loved to see the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game,” Sosa said in a letter. “I understand why some players in my era don’t always get the recognition that 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. I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.
“We accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter. Cubs’ fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward. We can’t change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”
The Chicago Cubs’ Sammy Sosa strikes out in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (John Zich/AFP via Getty Images)
The letter was enough for Sosa to be invited to the 2025 Cubs Convention, owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement.
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect, but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs,” Ricketts said. “It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”
Sosa is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in three separate seasons. He retired with 609 in his career, which ranks him ninth all time, but PED speculation has kept him out of Cooperstown.
Earlier this year, Sosa walked out of a media session when he was asked about his suspected PED use. He was in Chicago for a memorabilia event, and it was his first time in the Windy City since his career ended.
Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, right, and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs laugh during a pregame press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Stephen Jaffee/AFP via Getty Images)
Sosa is largely credited with bringing baseball back to life with his own personal home run derby with Mark McGwire in 1998 as they both chased, and shattered, Roger Maris‘ record of 61 homers in a season. McGwire hit 70, and Sosa hit 66. Sosa even swore under oath he did not take PEDs.
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Sports
Growing forfeits in soccer because of ineligible players could spur change to CIF bylaw
Forfeits by high school boys’ soccer teams in the City Section and Southern Section playoffs continued Friday as both sections try to deal with violations of CIF Bylaw 600, which prohibits players from participating in outside leagues during their sports season.
Calabasas pulled out of the Southern Section Division 3 championship because of an ineligible player. Chavez became the sixth City Section school eliminated from the playoffs for using an ineligible player and was replaced by Chatsworth for the City Division I final.
There’s also an allegation about another Southern Section team that could result in another forfeit in the final.
Some high schools thought they had found a solution by not allowing players to play until after their club seasons ended in early December. Cathedral had several players miss its first three games because of several big club tournaments in November and early December.
“You communicate to students and parents,” Cathedral coach Arturo Lopez said. “Unfortunately, there’s more and more academies now.”
Ron Nocetti, the executive director of the CIF, said, “I think we have to have conversations with our sections.”
CIF membership repeatedly has rejected the proposal of getting rid of Bylaw 600. Schools don’t want to have their coaches battling it out weekly with club coaches, which also would place additional pressure on athletes dealing with school work and then having to do double workouts.
The balancing act for students already is tough enough, with the amount of club teams growing in a lot of sports because it’s a lucrative business. The CIF briefly suspended the rule during the pandemic in 2020 but quickly reinstated it.
The problem is club soccer programs are holding competitions in the middle of the high school season, and players, knowing the rule that you can’t play high school and club at the same time, apparently have decided to try to do both with the hope of not getting caught.
This year, they are getting caught. Emails alleging violations started arriving to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos before the semifinals. If a player is found to have played club, the high school team has to forfeit, and if it happens during the playoffs, the team is eliminated.
Usually the pressure is on schools to make sure rules are not violated, but for Bylaw 600, schools can do everything right and still be punished for a player violating the rule on their own.
Several leagues are expected to present proposals to get rid of Bylaw 600. Nocetti said membership might be open to adopting changes.
“Maybe this is a tipping point for schools saying maybe it’s time to make a big change with the rule,” he said.
Sports
Anthony Richardson free to seek trade after injury setbacks amid Colts’ shift to Daniel Jones
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Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever.
The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.
Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.
Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries.
A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.
When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”
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Sports
Prep talk: Freshman golfer William Hudson of St. John Bosco wins Servite Invitational
William Hudson, a 14-year-old freshman golfer, shot 71 on Monday at Western Hills Country Club in Chino Hills to win the Servite Invitational.
“It was very important to me and my school,” Hudson said.
Some think it’s the first time a St. John Bosco student won an invitational title.
Hudson is a straight-A student who picked up his first golf club when he was 3. He has a daily routine involving practicing at 6 a.m. before heading to school. He’s also enrolled in a school entrepreneur program that involves taking classes at a junior college that will qualify for college credits.
“They are long days, but I get through it,” Hudson said.
He comes from a family that enjoys golf. His great-grandfather played until his death at 98 last year.
“I love how it can take me to interesting places and meet interesting people,” Hudson said. “I can play for the rest of my life. It’s a lifelong sport.”
It’s looking like another strong year for golfers in Southern California, with several individual champions returning, including Jaden Soong of St. Francis and Grant Leary of Crespi.
Now Hudson has thrust himself into the conversation.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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