Mark McGwire Biography

1963-

American baseball player

Mark McGwire

Future Hall of Famer Mark McGwire smashed once and for all one of baseball's most sacrosanct records: 60 home runs hit in one season by Babe Ruth in 1927. Roger Maris had hit 61 homers in 1961. But he had hit only one home run more than Ruth, and in a season that was about a week longer than in the Bambino's day. McGwire surpassed Ruth's mark decisively, hitting 70 home runs in 1998. And just to make sure everyone had noticed, he hit another 65 in 1999. McGwire is a story-book home-run hero for the turn-of-the-millennium. He hit a record number of homers as a rookie, 49. In six of his seventeen 17 seasons in the big leagues he hit more than 40 homers. He hit fifty home runs an unprecedented three seasons in a row, breaking another of Babe Ruth's records. Rounding out the picture, McGwire is apparently a genuinely nice person. He is devoted to his son and has donated millions of his own money to a foundation dedicated to helping abused children.

SELECTED WRITINGS BY MCGWIRE:

"Where Do I Go from Here?" Sports Illustrated. September 21, 1998.