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Wednesday, November 19, 2003
McGwire won the HR race of '98


The Great Race
of 1998

Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captivated the nation in 1998 as they traded home run blasts and chased Roger Maris' record. They would both make baseball history. Sosa clubbed 66 homers. But it was McGwire who established the new single season standard by hitting 70.
  • McGwire hits No. 61
  • McGwire gallery
  • Mark McGwire (l) and Sammy Sosa spent the summer of '98 chasing Roger Maris' home run mark of 61.

    Classic Mark McGwire - Memorable HRs
    Monday, Nov. 19 on ESPN Classic
    All times Eastern
    9 p.m. - Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals (1998) No. 62
    11 p.m. - Montreal Expos @ St. Louis Cardinals (1998) No. 70
    1 a.m. - Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals (1998) No. 62
    3 a.m. - Montreal Expos @ St. Louis Cardinals (1998) No. 70

    McGwire's 1998 monthly homer tracker
    March April May June July August September October Total
    1 10 16 10 8 10 15 -- 70

    Sosa's 1998 monthly homer tracker
    March April May June July August September October Total
    0 6 7 20 9 13 11 -- 66


    Features
    Caple: The summer of McGwire
    Mark McGwire was born two years to the day after Roger Maris hit his 61st home run, and the two have been paired ever since writes Jim Caple.

    Klapisch: Big Mac keeps memories alive
    Every day, every home run, practically every at-bat, the nation's crush on Mark McGwire grows wrote ESPN.com's Bob Klapisch.

    It's a long ways from '91
    On the day he celebrated his 70th HR of the 1998 season, McGwire remembers the lows of 1991.

    Columns
    Roberts: What must they be thinking?
    "I was assigned to do a story on Sosa's background and upbringing," wrote Jimmy Roberts. "I came looking for a sports story. I'm not sure if that's really what I found."

    Sosa talks history
    ESPN's Peter Gammons sat down with Sosa to discuss his mental approachs and his impact on all of Latin America

    Roberts: Another nation's pastime
    From sea to shining sea, the breathless chase of history captivated a nation. Mark McGwire may have gotten there first, but he can't claim all the fans.





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