Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
September 05, 2008
Remembering McGwire
Mark McGwire

8 Sept 1998: St. Louis Cardinals Mark McGwire rides in the 1962 Corvette the team gave him in honor of his 62nd home run in St. Louis, MO.
Photo: TSN/Icon SMI

With the ten-year anniversary of Mark McGwire's 62nd home run approaching, Paul Hagen talks to six people connected with the event. I'm happy he included David Vincent, the keeper of the SABR home run list, and a person who helped me tremendously with research over the years.
"My opinion hasn't changed at all. We go through periods where the batters are dominant and we go through periods where the pitchers are dominant. This is just one more bump in the road. I think it was overblown."

I was at ESPN that day, and remember watching the game on small monitor in front of my desk. The record break was different than most of McGwire's home runs that season. Most of his shot were magnificent, high arching shots deep into the bleachers. This one he scorched, about as low as a line drive could be and still clear the fence, pulled right down the line inside the foul pole. There was nothing to stand and admire, the ball was out of the park too fast. It was a great moment at the time.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:48 AM | History | TrackBack (0)
Comments

It would've been an even greater moment had he not been juiced.

Posted by: Rich I. at September 5, 2008 09:40 AM

The McGwire-Sosa home run race was what brought me back to baseball after the 1994 strike. I feel the same as Rich. It now feels a little dirty, like a naive sailor being seduced by a hooker.

Posted by: Tor at September 5, 2008 11:29 AM

'little dirty'? That's quite an understatement.

Posted by: sabernar at September 5, 2008 11:50 AM

Roger Maris - single season HR champ

Posted by: Bandit at September 5, 2008 12:37 PM

Well said, Bandit, and that's a fact.

Posted by: dave at September 5, 2008 07:57 PM

David,

How do you feel about it now?

Posted by: Hazey at September 6, 2008 07:32 AM
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