Mark McGwire

In 1998 McGwire made it all happen. The second half of the season amounted to a daily countdown of home runs hit by McGwire and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs, both of whom were chasing Roger Maris' hallowed record of 61. They traded off the lead through the last months of the season. McGwire won the race on September 7, 1998, when he hit his 61st round tripper. A day later, ironically at Wrigley Field, Sammy Sosa's home field, McGwire became the first player in major league history to hit 62 homers in one season. Unlike Maris, there would be no asterisk next to McGwire's record. He needed nearly 100 fewer at-bats to hit his 62 than Ruth did to hit 60. Maris, by contrast, needed 50 atbats more. McGwire ended 1998 with a total of 70, a new record. He broke another of Ruth's records at the same time, as the first player to hit 50 home runs or more three seasons in a row.

McGwire's last two years in baseball saw his home run numbers decline dramatically. Hobbled by a knee injury, he hit only 32 homers in 2000 and 29 in 2001. Such numbers only disappointed and frustrated McGwire. In November 2001, he announced his retirement from baseball. Not even an offer of $30 million to extend his contract with the Cardinals could make him change his mind. "After considerable discussion with those closest to me, I have decided not to sign the extension, as I am unable to perform at a level equal to the salary the organization would be paying me," he told the Houston Chronicle.

Mark McGwire is a virtual shoe-in for Baseball's Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2007. His 583 homers were fifth on the all-time list when he left baseball. McGwire also boasted a career 1414 runs batted in and 1167 runs scored. More than merely a sports star, Mark McGwire proved himself an individual of the highest integrity as well, best exemplified by his outstanding efforts on behalf of abused children, work that led the Sporting News to name him their Sportsman of the Year in 1997. Hopefully such achievements will live in memory as long as McGwire's slugging pyrotechnics.