Mark McGwireHe’s 6’5, and roughly 250lbs, and for the most part he is about as average asyou or me. Almost except for one major thing, he is the record holder of themost prestigious record in all of pro sports. His name is Mark McGwire and therecord is his 70 homeruns, shattering the old record held by the Minnesotanative named Roger Maris.
On the Major League Baseball’s final day of the seasonMark McGwire hit two mammoth homeruns to give him 70 on the year, an astonishing1 home run in every 7. 3 at bats. Mark started this quest for the record early inspring training, setting his mind on accomplishing this one goal to be the kingof all homerun hitters. On the first day of the season Mark hit his firsthomerun of the season. On a 1 ball no strike count in the bottom of the fifthinning with two outs and the basses loaded Mark hit a Grand slam off of The LADodgers pitcher Ramon Martinez. With that Grand Slam he became just thetwenty-first player in Major League history to hit a grand slam in the seasonopener.
Now the quest was on, he was now 61 homeruns from beating the record. Overall Mark hit eleven homeruns in the seasons first twenty-seven games, Markreally turned it on in the month of May. In his next twenty-five games in themonth of May, Mark hit sixteen homeruns giving him twenty-seven homeruns so far. With his sixteen homeruns in May, McGwire tied Mickey Mantle for the mosthomeruns in May. Then, out of nowhere a familiar enemy of Mark’s shows it’s uglyhead, Mark misses three games with back spasms, injuries are something that hasplagued him most of his career.
On June 5th Mark is now healthy and ready toplay, In the first inning Mark came to the plate with a runner at second and oneout. Mark lines the 1 ball 2-strike pitch into the Centerfield Bleachers atBusch stadium. On June 18th Mark sets a Major league Record with histhirty-three homeruns, giving him the most homeruns before July 1st in anyseason. Mark was now becoming the biggest draw all around the majors, teams whonormally couldn’t give tickets away were now selling out there stadiums whenMark came to town. The Minnesota Twins couldn’t get 50,000 total people to showup for three games, and now for the three games Mark was in tow they drew over150,000 people.
Everyone was swarming to ballparks all around the league to geta chance to see Mark hit a homerun. Mark was on a tear but now he was not theonly chasing the record. Sammy Sosa for the Chicago Cubs was on a tear hittingtwenty homeruns in July to get him close to McGwire in the Homerun race. Now therace was on Sosa and McGwire were now playing a game of cat and mouse as Sosatried desperately to catch McGwire. On August 19th Sammy finally catches andpasses McGwire hitting his forty-eighth homer of the year.
However Sammy’s leadwas short lived Mark not only tied Sammy in the eighth inning against the Cubsbut he takes the lead in the tenth inning of the same game. Mark was back incontrol of the homerun race. This would go on for the next month or so, Sosawould take the lead and McGwire would come back on the same day and reclaim thelead. On August 22nd Mark sets another record when he hits his 162nd homerun inthe last three seasons beating Babe Ruth’s record of 161.
On September 5th Markfinally hits his 60th homerun of the year joining Maris and Ruth as the onlyplayers in League history to hit sixty or more homeruns. Now the Stage was setthe Cubs and Sammy Sosa came to town for a three game series with the Cardinalsin St. Louis. In the Stands there were some very important fans, Roger Maris’family came to watch Mark beat their fathers’ record.
On September 7th Markstepped up to the plate in the first inning, Mike Morgan of the Chicago Cubs wason the mound he had retired the first two Cardinal hitters and now he had topitch to McGwire. The first pitch Morgan throws to McGwire is in there for astrike; the next pitch was just outside for a ball. With the crowd on their feetcheering Morgan threw the 1-1 pitch, CRACK, Mark crushed the pitch into thecenterfield stands hitting the ball 430′. Mark had now tied Roger Maris’ recordand he still had eighteen games to hit just one more homerun to set the record. On September eighth, in the forth inning facing Steve Trachsel of the Cubs; Markcame to the plate once more. Trachsel threw a pitch to McGwire; Mark hit a deepline drive into left field.
The ball was hit deep but everyone including Markthought the ball wasn’t going to leave the park, but then it was gone justclearing the wall. The fans went crazy yelling and cheering for Mark he had justbroke the most unbreakable record in all of baseball. After all was said anddone Mark hit 62 homeruns in 145 games, his homeruns traveled a total of 26394feet or 4. 99 miles, for an average of 427. 7 feet per homerun.
Even though Markset the record with 70 homeruns Sammy also broke Maris’ record with 65 homeruns. That was truly the best season in along time, Mark and Sammy put Major LeagueBaseball on their backs and resuscitated it. Making baseball the talk of thetown all over the country.
