McGwire's 62: The Day Baseball's Home Run Record Fell

On September 8th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1998 when Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his 62nd home run of the season, breaking Roger Maris' long-standing single-season record of 61 home runs set in 1961.

The stage was set at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, where the Cardinals were facing the Chicago Cubs. The anticipation was palpable as McGwire stepped up to the plate in the fourth inning, facing Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel. With the count at 1-1, Trachsel delivered a pitch that McGwire connected with, sending the ball soaring over the left-field wall. The crowd erupted in cheers as history was made, and McGwire rounded the bases, embracing his son at home plate and receiving congratulations from his teammates, coaches, and even some of the Cubs players.

McGwire's chase for the record had captivated the nation throughout the summer of 1998, as he and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs engaged in a thrilling home run race. The friendly rivalry between the two sluggers helped revitalize interest in baseball, which had been struggling to regain its popularity following the 1994 players' strike.

The record-breaking season was not without controversy, however. In the years that followed, McGwire and other players of his era were implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs, casting a shadow over their achievements. Despite this, the moment of McGwire's 62nd home run remains a significant event in sports history, as it marked the culmination of an exciting season and the breaking of a record that had stood for 37 years.

McGwire would go on to finish the 1998 season with 70 home runs, setting a new single-season record that would later be surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2001. Nonetheless, the image of McGwire connecting with that historic 62nd home run on September 8th, 1998, is one that will forever be etched in the minds of baseball fans around the world.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to This Moment in Sports History podcast on September eighth.
In sports history, one significant event took place in nineteen
ninety eight when Mark McGuire of the Saint Louis Cardinals
hit his sixty second home run of the season, breaking
Roger marris long standing single season record of sixty one

(00:24):
home runs set in nineteen sixty one. The stage was
set at Bush Stadium in Saint Louis, Missouri, where the
Cardinals were facing the Chicago Cubs. The anticipation was palpable
as McGuire stepped up to the plate in the fourth inning,
facing Cubs pitcher Steve Trassel with the count at one one.
Trassell delivered a pitch that McGuire connected with, sending the

(00:47):
ball soaring over the left field wall. The crowd erupted
in cheers as history was made, and McGuire rounded the basis,
embracing his son at home plate and receiving congratulations from
his teammates, Kosh and even some of the Cubs players.
McGuire's chase for the record had captivated the nation throughout
the summer of nineteen ninety eight, as he and Sandy

(01:09):
Sosa of the Chicago Cubs engaged in a thrilling home
run race. The friendly rivalry between the two sluggers helped
revitalize interest in baseball, which had been struggling to regain
its popularity following the nineteen ninety four players strike. The
record breaking season was not without controversy, however. In the
years that followed, McGuire and other players of his era

(01:31):
were implicated in the use of performance enhancing drugs, casting
a shadow over their achievements. Despite this, the moment of
McGuire's sixty second home run remains a significant event in
sports history, as it marked the culmination of an exciting
season and the breaking of a record that had stood
for thirty seven years. McGuire would go on to finish
the nineteen ninety eight season with seventy home runs, setting

(01:55):
a new single season record that would later be surpassed
by Barry Bonds in two thousand and one. None the less,
the image of mc guire connecting with that historic sixty
second home wrong on September eighth, nineteen ninety eight is
one that will forever be etched in the minds of
baseball fans around the world, and that wraps it up
join us tomorrow, and be sure to hit that subscribe

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