When one is exceptional at what they do, people become curious about every aspect of their life. It gets even more intriguing for professional athletes–because often, people have the notion that sporty individuals don’t typically become businessmen, let alone run a business empire.
Sammy Sosa is one of those retired athletes who did not stop succeeding after dipping out of the league. Having established himself as an international businessman, Sammy Sosa has been reported to have a net worth of $70 million.
Here’s everything we know about Sammy Sosa and how he raised all his assets.
Who is Sammy Sosa?
Sammy Sosa, a Dominican Republic native, is a former baseball player born on November 12, 1968. He’s popular for participating in the home run race of 1998 when he won the hearts of many baseball fans.
The 6’ft athlete had 66 home runs in his early days, which made him second best after Mark McGwire who had 70. But in his early years, he was terrible at defending and had bad home running skills. Nobody expected him to become a good baseball player, and it was almost the same expectation looking at his family background.
Was Sammy Sosa born rich?
“Slammin'” Sammy Sosa was born in San Pedro de Macoris, to Lucrecia and Juan Montero. He and his five siblings were born in a two-bedroom apartment in an abandoned hospital, which shows that they could barely afford decent housing.
When Sammy turned seven, his father died of a brain aneurysm, which pushed him to make strides to support his family financially. Since Lucrecia, Sammy’s mother, could not take care of the kids alone, the athlete started shining shoes, cleaning at a shoe factory, and selling fruits.
When he turned 14, he started playing organized baseball and got signed to the Philadelphia Phillies. However, he lost the contract because he was younger than 15. It may have been a devastating period for him as that was a great opportunity for him to support his siblings and mother.
But, he got another signing to the Texas Rangers the following year and got a $3,500 signup bonus which he gave to his mother.
Sammy Sosa wasn’t born rich but he left the Dominican Republic and went to Florida in 1986. After spending a year playing for Rangers, he got accepted into the South Atlanta All-Star League. He raked up experience playing for multiple clubs and hitting up to 30 home runs.
How did Sammy Sosa become rich?
The athlete played major league baseball from 1989 to 2007 and earned $120 million in salary. Apart from his salary, he earned a lot of money from endorsements.
In the early 2000s, ConAgra signed Sammy Sosa to promote two of their brands – Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding and Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn. He also signed more deals with Montgomery Ward, Pepsi Cola, Hansen Natural Co., etc.
He made around $12 million annually from his endorsements. Sammy made a lot of money from these deals, which gave him the opportunity to retire early.
What does Sammy Sosa do for a living?
After Sammy Sosa retired from playing baseball, he resorted to building his business empire, both a smart move and an opportunity to make money even while resting or cruising with his family. His business empire includes oil companies in the Dominican Republic, a hospitality and beverage business in Great Britain, and real estate in Panama.
Is Sammy Sosa still playing baseball?
In 2007, Sammy Sosa left the field…the baseball field, that is. He ended his playing career and decided to experiment as a free agent.
Sammy tried for two years but didn’t seem to get much luck. The athlete decided to play in the World Baseball Classic but also didn’t make the roster. So he left the world of baseball in 2009 and started his chain of businesses.
Before the player retired, he hit 609 home runs in over 15 big league games. 545 of those home runs were made in a Cubs uniform. The athlete made his mark on big-league teams, and in 2013 he became eligible for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
It’s worthy to note that his tenacity also translates to his business ventures.
Who’s the richest baseball player?
Baseball is one of America’s favorite games and is deeply embedded in its culture. The players also get paid millions of dollars annually, and here’s a list of the highest-paid baseball athletes:
Bryan Howard, Albert Pujols, CC Sabathia, and Derek Jeter earn around $140 million to $185 million annually. The highest-paid player in 2022 was Alex Rodriguez, who earned $300 million yearly.