Sammy Sosa blows into the Windy City

Former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa looped a couple hits in his return to the city with a Loop.  Story in the Chicago Sun Times.

Although Sosa played in the South Side White Sox park, US Cellular Field, this constituted his first visit since giving the Cubs the finger back in 2004.

If you want ''Cubbie Swagger'' -- that elusive attitude manager Lou Piniella is trying to inject in a team that continues to frustrate -- it's on full display right here in Chicago. Smack dab at 35th and Shields...

For the first time since he snubbed then-manager Dusty Baker and sparked a 2004 season-finale controversy made for Chicago -- complete with incriminating video evidence and ugly finger-pointing after his unexcused early exit -- Sosa returned to town Tuesday, facing his former White Sox team. And yes, he belted a booming home run when the game had been decided, hopped out of the box and kiss-tapped his way across home plate.

Sosa, who went through corked bats, and a steroid controversy, seemed comfortable in the city that formerly showered him with affection, a relationship turned sour:

''They give me what I deserve,'' he said after the game. ''I'm not going to be here and trying to have a fight with the fans.''

The boos accompanied each at-bat but came through gritted teeth after Sosa's seventh-inning double to right sparked a three-run rally. They finally were muted after Sosa smacked a three-run homer -- his third this season and No. 591 for his career -- on an 0-2 offering from Mike MacDougal in the eighth.

And then Sosa, now speaking the English good, hoped for less animosity between the two former ;over - the City of the Broad Shoulders, and himself, the Slamming Sammy who enjoyed many a summer up on Addison Avenue's Wrigley Field:

''I played all of my years with my heart and did the best that I can,'' Sosa said. ''Definitely there was a misunderstanding in 2004, but time will heal everything. I had a good conversation with [Cubs president] John McDonough in spring training, and when I want to come back to Chicago, definitely, they are going to open the door for me.''