Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco formed one of the most feared middle-of-the-lineup tandems of all-time. The bats of the “Bash Brothers” powered the Oakland Athletics to a World Series championship in 1989, but it is when Big Mac became a part of the St. Louis Cardinals that he captivated audiences and helped revive the dying sport of baseball.
The 1998 Major League season wasn’t about who would win the World Series. Instead, it was about who would be the first to break Roger Maris’ single-season home run record of 61. Three players, Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa, grabbed the spotlight and dazzled crowds on a nightly basis with what seemed like an endless supply of monstrous home runs.
In the end, it was McGwire who was honored with hitting home run number 62 to break the record, and he went on his way to 70 for the season. It was a new record that lasted for a few years before being broken by Barry Bonds.
Unlike Bonds, McGwire’s talent wasn’t as prevalent. His power and hitting ability took a dip before joining the Cardinals. McGwire became a caricature as he grew like Popeye before fans’ eyes.
Where Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer with or without the use of steroids, it is unclear whether McGwire could have maintained the consistency without subjecting himself to cheating. That’s a discussion I’m sure the Baseball Writers keep coming back to when filling out their ballots.
Hall of Fame Moment: On Sep. 8, 1998, McGwire hit the home run to surpass Roger Maris’ as the single-season home run king. Ironically, Sammy Sosa and the Maris’ family were in the building to witness the historical moment.
