Sammy Sosa: Skin Cream Did This

Despite lightened skin, 'he's not trying to be Michael Jackson'

(NEWSER) - Retired slugger Sammy Sosa comes off as a bit vain, but he isn't bleaching his skin or "trying to be Michael Jackson," a friend says of the photos that took the sports blogosphere by storm last week. "He can't believe it is such a big deal." The friend, like Sosa a former Cubs employee, tells the Chicago Tribune he's just "going through a rejuvenation process for his skin. Women have it all of the time." More»

Blogosphere abuzz, but no word what's up with ex-slugger

(NEWSER) - The sports blogosphere is abuzz over some new photographs of Sammy Sosa in which the former performance-enhanced Chicago Cubs star looks much, much lighter-skinned than we’re used to. Seems nobody’s been able to reach Sosa yet, and nothing in the captions of photos from Tuesday’s event in Las Vegas yields clues, either. Some speculate it could be vitiligo, a skin disease that allegedly afflicted Michael Jackson; others see a bad makeup job. More»

(NEWSER) - Bad news for Sammy Sosa's Hall of Fame hopes: The Cubs slugger is among the players who tested positive for doping in 2003, the New York Times reports. The retired Sosa, sixth on the all-time homer list, has long been suspected of taking steroids but has never admitted it. The new development, courtesy of unnamed lawyers familiar with the 2003 results, is the first time he's been linked to a positive test. More»

Induction comes roughly a year after his death

(NEWSER) - Ron Santo is getting a place in Cooperstown at last—almost exactly one year after his death . The Veterans Committee ushered the Cubs great into the Baseball Hall of Fame today, with 15 of its 16 members giving him the nod, the Chicago Tribune reports. Santo was the only candidate up for consideration to get the requisite 12 votes for induction; Jim Kaat came in second with 10 votes, followed by Minnnie Minoso and Gil Hodges with nine each. More»

Third-baseman became legendary broadcaster

(NEWSER) - Renowned Chicago Cubs third-baseman and broadcaster Ron Santo died last night in Arizona of complications from bladder cancer at age 70. “Ronnie will forever be the heart and soul of Cubs fans,” said the team’s chairman. “He enjoyed himself in the booth right to the end,” said a fellow broadcaster. The Tribune recounts his career on and off the field, including the time his toupee caught fire in the press box. More»