Michael Jackson  is to blame.
I think so too ....   Sammy is the only baseball player to ever hit more than 60 Hrs in three different seasons ...the money and popularity he had 10 years ago was out of this world crazy even in Tokyo you'll see hot Japanese gals wearing Sosa's jersey.....he was like Superman worldwide 
He was throwing parties at his house "Titanic mansion" and you'll see class A actors, musicians,beauty queens, athletes  all the time and 
playboy bunnies including the old fart himself......
What Do I think really happened?  Well, between you and me: In one of his parties( right at his mansion's backyard) 
Salma Hayek was drunk shoes in hands and all and walked right by him he said "Salma mi amol" and she looked for few secs and was like Oh sorry its so dark here I thought it was one of the servants, I didn't see you hun" ...
So Sammy said  "Fuck this black pride shit !...Im going white !"