e stood at the podium during yesterday's All-Star Game press conference at the Westin Hotel, where the managers, honorary captains, and leading vote-getters of the American and National leagues were recognized. Gracious as ever, Sammy Sosa accepted a glass trophy from NL president Leonard Coleman for being the league's top vote-getter with 2,315,204, about 600,000 fewer than Seattle's Ken Griffey, who for the fourth year in a row led the AL.
The honor particularly humbled Sosa, because, as he said, ''for me it's the first time.''
Then, turning to the tardy Griffey, who had just settled into his seat after accepting his trophy, the affable Cubs slugger drew laughter from the assembled media when he asked, ''How many times for you, Ken?''
''I want to say I'm happy to be here again,'' said Sosa, a three-time All-Star, who was forced to sit out last year's midsummer classic at Coors Field in Denver because of left shoulder stiffness. ''And this time I'm going to play, this year I hope everybody enjoys it the same way that I am enjoying, and thank you.''
There was no need to thank anyone, really.
At last night's Home Run Derby at Fenway Park, fans showed their appreciation for the captivating summer Sosa and fellow bash brother Mark McGwire - the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters in the NL's All-Star lineup - provided last year in their stirring home run chase in which Sosa hit 66 and McGwire 70.
It was The Summer of Sam and Big Mac.
''It was a lot of fun to watch,'' said Griffey, who also challenged Roger Maris's season home run record but fell off the pace at the end. ''Every time you turned on the TV somebody was getting excited. And I think that was a lot of fun not only for myself, but for baseball.''
Last night, Griffey and the rest of the AL players got to watch the NL's history-making home run hitters take turns swatting 'em over The Wall.
''It's an honor for me to be together with Mark again,'' said Sosa, who was at Busch Stadium last year when McGwire crashed his record-setting 62d homer off Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel. ''With everything that we did last year and to come here together this year - I'm going to hit in front of him, and he's going to hit behind me. Not only for me, but for the fans and everybody that loves baseball and everybody that loves what we do and what we did last year, it's an honor.''
Hot-stovers warmed their hands last winter with talk of the Red Sox landing a power hitter, and in 1995, the Sox almost landed a big one - Sosa. A deal for Sosa had been struck and signed, but was voided by then-interim commissioner Bud Selig because there was no bargaining agreement in place in that strike-truncated season.
''I was close to being here in Boston,'' said Sosa, who is hitting .286, with a league-leading 32 home runs (four more than McGwire) and 74 RBIs this season. ''I remember my agent and I - I was ready to come here, but it never happened. If I were to play here, maybe I would've hit 72.''
A wave of laughter rippled through the audience.
When he was asked if he had ever homered at Fenway, Sosa shook his head with incredulity. ''What a question,'' he replied, as more laughter filled the room.
How could Sosa ever forget his first major league homer? It came at Fenway Park in 1989 when he was with the Texas Rangers, and it came against Roger Clemens, no less.
''He was throwing the ball about 100 miles an hour that day, he was throwing hard,'' Sosa recalled. ''When I got the first one off him, it was like a dream come true, especially at this place. Clemens was one of the dominating pitchers then - and still he is - but it made me real proud of myself. From that day on, I said to myself I can play this game.''
And after last year's performance, NL fans agree, making him winner of this All-Star popularity contest.
It's been a vast turnaround from three years ago when Sosa led the league in home runs but was snubbed for the All-Star Game, not even selected as a reserve.
''When I was hitting the home runs, and not picked to come to the All-Star Game,'' he said, ''that was a sign for me that I needed to keep working and keep showing the people that I could do it and I never gave up. Pretty much last year was the year that everybody recognized me the way I was supposed to be recognized. And this year, [being] the leader in votes, that's something that shows me the appreciation right there. I feel very proud of myself.''
