Sammy+Sosa+6


 * SAMMY SOSA**

Sammy Sosa has overcome many struggles in his life. When he was six years old, his father died. He struggled to find a job and trying to become a professional baseball player. He exemplifies strength and perseverance by overcoming the death of his father and becoming one of the most famous baseball players in the MLB.

After the death of his father, Sammy had to quit school to help his mother. His mother cooked and washed clothes for people while Sammy and his siblings washed cars, shined shoes and sold fruit. To overcome the passing of his father, Sammy and his neighborhood friends played baseball. Baseball was a popular sport in the Dominican Republic. They made their own baseball equipment from cardboard boxes and burlap bags. The bats were made from branches of vasima trees and they used old golf balls wrapped with nylon as baseballs.

Sammy and his friends were shoe shiners. There were many times they would fight over customers. One day, Sammy was shining shoes for a tourist named Bill Chase. He was from America and had his own shoe factory. He was so impressed with Sammy's work that he asked Sammy to come to the U.S. with him. Mr. Chase even bought him his first real glove.

Sammy Sosa had to overcome certain obstacles to play in the major leauges. When Sammy was fifteen the Philadelphia Phillies offered him a contract to play for one of their farm teams. Sammy immediately signed because of his love and passion for the game. However, the MLB thought he was too young and cancelled the contract. At sixteen he was offered another contract from the Phillies. He declined the offer because he thought they would say he was still too young. Eventually, when he was seventeen he was given another opportunity to play in the MLB. The Texas Rangers offered him a contract to play on one of their farm teams and he gladly accepted.

Sammy had made it. He rose from poverty and is now one of the most celebrated sports heroes! Sammy said in most of his interviews, " Baseball has been great to me." Sammy has also been good to the game of baseball.

Refrences: Humphrey, S. (2005). //Dare to dream 25 extrodnary lives//. (p. 105 106). New York: Prometheus Books Leveday, V. (2011). Great athletes of our times. 56. Retrieved from []- Sosa, sammy. In (2011). //Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia// Retrieved from GrolierOnlinehttp://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0271995-0//  UPI. (Photographer). (2007). Sammy sosa hits 600th homerun in texas: Texas Rangers sammy sosa celebrates his 600 career home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against the chicago cubs at the ranger's ballpark in arlington in arlington, texas on june 20, 2007. he is the fifth mlb player to reach that mark. the solo shot gave the rangers a 5-1 lead. (upi photo/ian halperin)//. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=imh&AN=imh368105&site=src-live