The Historic 1998 Home Run Chase: McGuire vs Sosa

TLDRIn the 1998 Major League Baseball season, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captivated the American public with their race to break Roger Maris's single-season home run record. Despite the controversy surrounding the steroid era, their chase rekindled the love between America and baseball.

Key insights

🔥Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's chase to break the single-season home run record in the 1998 MLB season was a historic event.

⚾️The 94 strike and subsequent cancellation of the World Series had left the American public disenchanted with baseball, but the 1998 home run race reignited their passion.

💥McGwire arrived for the 1998 season with the St. Louis Cardinals amid much fanfare and speculation that he would break Maris's record.

🌟Sammy Sosa emerged as McGwire's worthy adversary in the home run race, surpassing his previous home run records and gaining international attention.

🏆Both players had a remarkable season, with McGwire ultimately setting a new single-season home run record of 70, while Sosa finished with 66.

Q&A

Who held the single-season home run record before Mark McGwire?

—Roger Maris held the single-season home run record with 61 home runs in the 1961 season.

How did the 94 strike affect the American public's view of baseball?

—The 94 strike, which resulted in the cancellation of the World Series, left the American public disenchanted with baseball and attendance numbers dropped for the following years.

Did Mark McGwire break Roger Maris's single-season home run record?

—Yes, Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris's single-season home run record in the 1998 season by hitting 70 home runs.

How many home runs did Sammy Sosa hit in the 1998 season?

—Sammy Sosa hit 66 home runs in the 1998 season, finishing just four behind McGwire.

What is the current single-season home run record?

—Barry Bonds holds the current single-season home run record with 73 home runs in the 2001 season.

Timestamped Summary

00:00The 1998 Major League Baseball season saw a race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to break the single-season home run record.

01:53By September, both players were easily on pace to surpass Roger Maris's record of 61 home runs.

05:01McGwire tied Maris's record on September 7th, and the following evening, he became the new single-season home run king with 70 home runs.

06:23Sosa finished the season with 66 home runs, just behind McGwire.

08:20Despite the controversy surrounding the steroid era, the 1998 home run chase remains one of the most unforgettable moments in baseball history.

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