The 1998 home run chase is arguably the most memorable moment in baseball history. On this day 27 years ago, Mark McGwire, the first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, accomplished something that no other player in MLB history had ever done before.
On August 20th, McGwire took the field against the New York Mets at the former Shea Stadium and went on to hit his 50th home run of the season, tying Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr. for the 1998 home run crowd and, more significantly, the single-season home run record.
McGwire’s 50th home run of the year set a record for all sluggers who have played the game, but baseball fans remember the number 70 for the single-season record he set that year. McGwire’s home run made him the first and only player in baseball history to have 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons.
Mark McGwire is the only player in baseball history with 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons
McGwire hit 65 in 1999, extending his record of seasons with 50 or more home runs to four. No other player in baseball history has hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons.
It’s very regrettable that one of the most thrilling moments in baseball history is marred by McGwire’s use of steroids, which will always complicate his 1998 home run chase. It must be brought out during discussions about these occasions, but I don’t believe it should take away from our ability to appreciate how unique that moment was. Many people believe that pursuit “saved” baseball.
I’m not advocating for steroids, but it’s entertaining to be reminded of a pivotal period in baseball history and how a St. Louis Cardinal was at its core while I see the attendance at Busch Stadium decline this year.
I hope we get to see Busch Stadium rocking again, as we did during that pursuit, the Cardinals’ run in the 2000s, and even in the early to mid-2010s when the team was playing at its best. The thrill of the home run race will probably never be duplicated again.
