Opponent: Florida Marlins Location: Pro Player Stadium End of day Sammy Sosa total: 55 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 46 For some reason, this series against the Marlins is one that I can remember from the Mark McGwire chase. I mentioned before that I would start noting the home runs on my work calendar and I [...]
Opponent: Florida Marlins Location: Pro Player Stadium End of day Sammy Sosa total: 56 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 46 You hear people talk about “the zone”. You hear people talk about getting that extra kick as they get closer to a finish line. That is probably the best way to describe what the first week [...]
Home run #: 60 Date: September 5 Opponent: Cincinnati Reds Location: Busch Stadium Pitcher: Dennys Reyes Score: 0-0 Inning: 1 Outs: 1 Runners on: 1 Distance: 381 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 58 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 47 Six is a serious digit. Babe Ruth had 60 home runs in 1927. Roger Maris had edged his mark in [...]
Home run #: 61 Date: September 7 Opponent: Chicago Cubs Location: Busch Stadium Pitcher: Mike Morgan Score: 0-0 Inning: 1 Outs: 2 Runners on: 0 Distance: 430 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 58 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 49 There is absolutely no way you could plan this out. With Mark McGwire already on 60, his rival for the [...]
Home run #: 62 Date: September 8 Opponent: Chicago Cubs Location: Busch Stadium Pitcher: Steve Traschel Score: 0-0 Inning: 4 Outs: 2 Runners on: 0 Distance: 341 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 58 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 49 It had to be tonight. That’s what everyone was thinking as Tuesday, September 8 passed and the hours continued [...]
Earlier today, we went through all that happened on September 8, 1998. I mentioned in that story where I was but if you were a Cardinal fan–a baseball fan, even–alive at that time, you probably have a story about what that night was like for you. So I asked for them. If you remember where [...]
Home run #: 63 Date: September 15 Opponent: Pittsburgh Pirates Location: Busch Stadium Pitcher: Jason Christensen Score: 8-5 Inning: 9 Outs: 1 Runners on: 0 Distance: 385 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 62 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 51 Given the buildup, given the incredible height that Mark McGwire reached on September 8, it’s probably not too [...]
Home run #: 64 Date: September 18 Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers Location: County Stadium Pitcher: Rafael Roque Score: 0-2 Inning: 4 Outs: 0 Runners on: 1 Distance: 423 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 63 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 52 The last couple of weeks of the 1998 season were like a slow-motion boxing fight when it came to [...]
Home run #: 65 Date: September 20 Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers Location: County Stadium Pitcher: Scott Karl Score: 0-0 Inning: 1 Outs: 1 Runners on: 1 Distance: 423 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 63 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 52 We said last time that if you wanted a seat to history, County Stadium in Milwaukee was the place [...]
Home run #: 66 Date: September 25 Opponent: Montreal Expos Location: Busch Stadium Pitcher: Shayne Bennett Score: 2-2 Inning: 5 Outs: 2 Runners on: 1 Distance: 375 feet End of day Sammy Sosa total: 66 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 55 One of the most vivid recollections I have from the home run race is just how short the span [...]
Opponent: Montreal Expos Location: Busch Stadium End of day Sammy Sosa total: 66 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 55 The Cardinals were well out of any playoff picture and had already clinched a winning season, so normally the last couple of games would have been exhibitions to rest starters or a chance for the hometown fans [...]
Opponent: Montreal Expos Location: Busch Stadium End of day Sammy Sosa total: 66 End of day Ken Griffey Jr. total: 55 A season that started with a bang was down to its final day. It had been a long time since Mark McGwire started off the 1998 season with a grand slam against the Dodgers. The year had [...]
