Sammy Sosa's Parade in NYC - Latino Legends in Sports

Sammy Sosa
A big hit in the big apple!

On October 17th, 1998, a jubilant Sammy Sosa was showered with cheers and smiles as the home run hitter was given a parade on Broadway, NYC in his honor.

For several hours, Broadway was transformed into a colorful gathering of Latino pride as a largely hispanic crowd turned out to fete the Dominican born player for his baseball heroics and humanitarian work.

"I have opened the door to all of you Dominicans" said Sosa, in an emotional speech delivered mostly in spanish to fans gathered at New York City's Hall Park. Sosa choked back tears when he talked about his mother and told the fans he didn't know how to repay them for their support.

Mayor Giuliani took the podium and gave Sosa the "key to the city" and declared yesterday Sammy Sosa day. Sosa then handed the mayor the bat he used to hit his 66th homerun. His visit to NYC didn't finish at City Hall, Sosa decided to visit Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Center on upper Fifth Ave. to give out autographs and high fives to young patients like Maria Arvello, 6 years old. Sosa then took a trip to St. Vincent De Paul Nursing Home on Intervale Ave in the Bronx as he toured the facility and autographed a mitt for a lucky staffer.

Fans all over praised Sosa for donating money after Hurricane George devastated his native Dominican Republic and for lending his name to relief efforts. "Not only is he a great athlete, he's a great humanitarian" said George Morales, 50 of Manhattan. "I think it's a big honor for him and he deserves that and more." "He's the greatest role model for Latino kids that I've have seen," said Millie Diaz, 35, a Dominican-American from Brooklyn. "He has been a great player plus a great person."

Later that evening at Yankee Stadium, Sosa threw out the first pitch for game 1 of the World Series, which the Yankees won 9-6 versus the San Diego Padres.

In 1998, Sammy Sosa belted 66 homeruns and led the Major Leagues with 158 RBI's in 1998. Sosa along with Mark McGwire (70 HR's) provided not only for Latinos, but every baseball fan with an exciting and memorable season that will go down in history. Sosa also helped the Cubs make the playoffs for the first time since 1989, even if his first-ever postseason experience was a brief and disappointing one.

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