Great Books

" How did Sammy Sosa, who never played an inning of organized baseball until he was fourteen, go from a life of crushing poverty to superstardom in the major leagues? In SOSA, Sammy tells his story in his own words. The result is a moving, intimate chronicle of a man whose charisma, joy, and sportsmanship-combined with awesome talent-make him a favorite of baseball fans everywhere, an unsurpassed hero in his homeland, and a true international ambassador of the game. Here Sammy sets the record straight and reveals the forces that shaped him as a human being. We read about a boy who, after his father's death, must drop out of school to help put food on his family's table. We meet the American businessman who bought Sammy his first baseball glove and knew that Sammy's work ethic and determination would be the key to his success. We watch Sammy's numerous attempts to get signed to a pro contract, with one rejection after another. And when he finally gets his break, we follow Sammy as he leaves behind his tearful mother to become a rookie speaking only Spanish in the lowest levels of the American minor leagues. Sammy's first years in the big leagues were exciting seasons. His eagerness to succeed made him an impatient hitter, and here, for the first time, he tells the inside story of his rise to stardom...a journey that culminated in his hypercharged slugging battle with Mark McGwire in 1998, when his simple love of baseball captured the hearts of fans and nonfans alike. A story of courage, generosity, and humility, SOSA is the autobiography of a man who transcends his game."

What separates Sosa from the mainstream of sports star bios is the likability and exuberance of the subject and the form in which it was written. Cast as an oral history, Sosa lets Sammy's voice--as well as those of his family, friends, and some important coaches--come through, and juxtaposed voices can make for some interesting observations. Sosa, of course, needs no introduction. Born in poverty in the Dominican baseball incubator of San Pedro de Macoris, he seemed destined to be just another good, solid journeyman ballplayer, a guy who could post eye-catching numbers and not hurt you too much in the field. Then came the miracles of 1998 and '99, back-to-back seasons of 66 and 63 taters with 158 and 143 RBIs, an MVP award, and the affection of fans everywhere. What happened? Sosa works best as it answers that, creating almost a dialogue between Sosa and Jeff Pentland, whom the Cubs elevated to Major League hitting coach midway through Sammy's and the team's disappointing 1997. Pentland took a hard look at Sosa and saw the untapped talent. "The two things that really stood out were his attitude and his aggressiveness," he says. "I've always felt as a coach the more aggressive the player is, the better, because it's your job as a teacher to harness that aggression to where it's productive. At that point, Sammy was aggressive, but wildly aggressive." From there on, it's pretty much Sosa and Pentland, and through their exchanges we can see how and why the new hitter in Sammy emerges. It's good baseball analysis--technical, anecdotal, and brimming with the excitement and pride of Sammy's remarkable achievements. When Sosa tries to pull biographical heartstrings, it's soppy and sentimental; when it sticks to baseball, it's as crisp as the crack of the bat. --Jeff Silverman

Young readers hungry for Sammy stats will get their fill with this tribute tothe man who hit 66 home runs in one season. Full color photos.

Throughout the 1998 baseball season, two names made the headlines more than any others: Mark McGwire, the eventual home run king, and Sammy Sosa, the runner-up in a race that won the hearts of baseball fans worldwide. Yet at the end of the day, it was Sosa who walked away with the National League's MVP award, not McGwire. Why? Because Sosa had dug the dismal 1997 Chicago Cubs out of the cellar not just with his home runs, but also with his spectacular all-around play. Yet Sosa's contributions off the field, both in the States and in his native land, the Dominican Republic, are even more impressive. In this powerful biography of one of the most admired sluggers in baseball, Matt Christopher, the number one sports series for kids, traces Sosa's life from his poverty-stricken childhood-when shining shoes put food on the table-to his professional career. For more information on the Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf, please see the last pages of this book.

HOME RUN HERO! All season long, the nation watched Sammy Sosa chase one of the most revered records in all of sports: the single-season home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961. One of baseball's greatest sluggers, Slammin' Sammy smashed an amazing 20 homers in June 1998, setting the record for round-trippers in a month. In September, Sammy continued at an incredible pace, surpassing Maris's 61 just days after Mark McGwire. Sammy's late-season home runs kept him neck-and-neck with his friend Big Mac in the race to see who would set the new single-season home run record. Sammy has won the hearts of fans throughout the world not just for his power home runs, but also for his charm, his smile, and his respect for the game. Find out all about the spectacular Sammy Sosa, from his humble beginnings in the Dominican Republic to a record-breaking year in the major leagues. Read about one of baseball's top power hitters, an all-around outstanding player who's home run records have led to superstardom!

" Desde Juan Marichal a Felipe Alou a Tony Fernndez, la Repblica Dominicana ha nutrido a las grandes ligas de jugadores estrella. Pero ningn jugador de habla hispana ha alcanzado la fama y gloria de Sammy Sosa, quien rompi una de las marcas ms queridas de bisbol y quien desde entonces no ha parado de jonronear. Ahora Sosa nos cuenta su propia historia, su indigente infancia, sus primeros juegos organizados a los catorce aos y su ascenso por las ligas menores. En el centro de esta alentadora historia est la descomunal batalla de los jonrones que libr Sammy con Mark McGwire en 1998, una pugna que puso de relieve no solo su gran talento sino su increble cordialidad y elegancia a pesar de la presin. Escrita en colaboracin con el galardonado periodista Marcos Bretn y acompaando de dos folletos de ocho pginas cada uno de fotos, SOSA cuenta las verdades y se aproxima e intimida con Sammy. Por el camino compartimos sus batallas y triunfos, los mayores retos y los logros ms satisfactorios del hombre que se ha convertido en un hroe en su patria y Estados Unidos adems de un verdadero embajador internacional de su deporte. From Juan Marichal to Felipe Alou to Tony Fernndez, the Dominican Republic has produced legendary major league baseball players. But no Spanish-speaking player has achieved the fame and glory of Sammy Sosa, who smashed one of baseball's most cherished records and who hasn't stopped hitting home runs since. Now Sosa tells his own story, of his poverty-stricken childhood, his first organized baseball games at the age of fourteen, and his rise through the ranks of the minor leagues. At the heart of this inspiring story is Sammy's colossal home run battle with Mark McGwire in 1998, a race that showcased not only Sammy's awesome talent but his incredible warmth and grace under fire. Written with prizewinning journalist Marcos Bretn, and accompanied by a special 8-page photo insert, SOSA sets the record straight and gets up close and personal with Sammy. Along the way, we share the struggles and triumphs, the greatest challenges and most satisfying achievements of the man who has become not only a hero in his homeland and in the U.S.A., but a true international ambassador of his sport."

Provides an introduction to the life and biography of Sammy Sosa, the Hispanic man who was born in the Dominican Republic and became a baseball superstar, while still remembering and giving to his home country and family.

Presents the life and baseball career of Sammy Sosa, who, along with Mark McGwire, in 1998 broke the long-standing record of most home runs hit in a season.

A brief biography of the Chicago Cubs power hitter, Sammy Sosa, who was voted professional baseball's Most Valuable Player in the home run record-breaking 1998 season.