Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's race for home run history deserves a deep rewind

Home runs! Dingers! Moon shots! That’s all the country could think about when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa raced to break the single-season home run record in 1998.
Before entering that season, journalists predicted Roger Maris’ nearly four-decade record of 61 homers would finally fall thanks to the surge of power hitters in the league. McGwire and Seattle Mariner outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. were at the top of the list of candidates with a strong chance of putting themselves in the history books. Sammy Sosa wasn’t even in the conversation.
Although, once the season got into full swing (get it?), Sosa emerged with a run for the record books. The ‘98 season was a magical year where Major League Baseball re-captured the nation’s attention after losing interest following the league strike in 1995. Thanks to the beefy boys sending balls flying out of parks, baseball was back!
But to fully appreciate this moment in baseball history, we gotta rewind.
Written and produced by Joe Ali
Directed by Ryan Simmons
Additional editing by Charlotte Atkinson
Motion graphics and animations by Philip Pasternak
Subscribe: goo.gl/Nbabae
Enter the Secret Base: www.sbnation.co...
Follow us on Twitter: / secretbase
Follow us on Twitch: / secretbasesbn
Follow us on Tiktok: / secretbasesbn
Check out our full video catalog: goo.gl/9pMHRV
Visit our playlists: goo.gl/NvpZFF
Explore SB Nation: www.sbnation.com

[@TigerofRobare]

One of my favorite baseball facts is that Sammy Sosa hit over 60 home runs in a reason three times, but didn't lead the league any of those times.

[@jeyfromnowhere]

I also love that Sammy was the first ever to 66 and that's where he finished in '98. Was his single season best, too.

[@fingersm]

It was an insane feat

[@PFBM86]

And that occurred in a 4 year stretch where the one season that he "only" hit 50 homers was the one where he did lead the league.

[@thenumberquelve158]

Sounds like the Drew Brees of MLB.

[@psymar]

​@@jeyfromnowhereand that was the only time all year he had the home run lead by himself. It lasted 45 minutes.

[@cbetv3]

I’d say the unsung hero here is Ken Griffey Jr. he managed to keep up with these guys while staying legit

[@EpicTyphlosionTV]

Couldn't have said it better

[@parks97]

🤔

[@na-tv6rn]

I really wish jr would have hit 62+ to have staked claim to the "asterisk free" record.

[@AnthonyMcNeil]

Steroids didn't help these players hit the ball better. They were all exceptionally talented. Griffey was one of the ones who didn't participate. MLB needed something to bring in casual people.

[@notslxsher]

no way you spewed that sentence up and thought you were right@@AnthonyMcNeil

[@jonsmith1956]

The home run race was so much fun to watch as a kid. Ignorant of the concept of steroids and just able to appreciate the feat for what it was.

[@feddi7693]

Right I was 11 and just falling in love with baseball ⚾️

[@J.E.T.Lee16]

Watching the numbers race in the newspaper.. ah, nostalgia

[@manzac112]

Logic: Unfortunately, reality can often be disappointing.

[@Ivantheterrible81280]

If you assume any of them aren’t on steroids, or that it magically turns you into superman without absolutely insane work ethic and discipline, and you still have maybe a hair’s chance of making it, you’re still ignorant.

[@bigjared8946]

I was old enough to know the concept of steroids, I just didn't care. Older me cares even less. Sports are just entertainment.

[@3411Chad]

The video is nothing more than a testament to Ken Griffey Jr.'s greatness.

[@jennyanydots2389]

Ken was jacked up on beenies, coke and meth every game so what's the difference boy? You take the uppers away from Kenny GJ and all you have is Andrew Benintendi.

[@Ycjedi]

I wouldn't assume anyone is clean.

[@3411Chad]

@@Ycjedi I wouldn't either, but the information that is available indicates he is clean.

[@jennyanydots2389]

@@3411Chad The information available indicates that the elections was rigged son!! Barry Bonds did nine 11? What about tower 7 then son?! I'm just asking questions based on the information available to me.

[@WembeyNoodl]

@@3411Chadshould’ve took them tbh would’ve prolonged his body’s collapse when he was on the refs

[@Pranaynaynay]

I'm still always amazed at how Junior did almost as much raking as these guys without doping

[@SaltoDaKid]

94 season was his best chance he was on pace for 64 but season ended, just show how horrible the 94 lockout was

[@fingersm]

And Expos had an "All-Star" team and were totally screwed

[@jennyanydots2389]

Kenny Jay McGriffy wasn't clean son... that dude was known to do quite a bit of blow and take them Stacker 3 pills during games.... you know the pills I'm talmbout son? Big Riggin Cross CuontryTruckers and ER Doctors pop those things to stay awake 24 hours straight and Kenny was just poppin them things down like effin candy before and during games... dude was totes jacked up to his balls, bee whole and beyond boy!!!

[@DanielSong39]

Hahaha dude was jacked up to the wazoo but still loved the Kid!

[@jennyanydots2389]

@@DanielSong39 My sea men has been registered as a performance inhancing substance in most states that Billy Maze and Kenny G played in back then so...good chance he was chuggin' down some of my heated sea men on the regular son!!

[@ILoveMisty1985]

I remember watching this moment in my parents' bedroom watching on a mid-80s Zenith monitor turned television set. The sound and color wasn't working so I watched it in black and white without any sound. It was still incredibly exciting. Who would have thought that almost 25 years later I would watch Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run of the season.

[@omegamanGXE]

u mean Aaron Jury

[@Busch22Fan]

I remember when ESPN was doing a NASCAR Cup Series race in Martinsville, VA, the NAPA AutoCare 500, during this battle, and they kept doing a split-screen every time Mark or Sammy went to bat. On the satellite feed version, you can hear Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, and Ned Jarrett rehearse some of their reactions, in case Mark or Sammy did sock one into the stratosphere. They goof on one where Mark flew out. They started congratulating him as if it was already gone...then it was caught, and they had to quickly backtrack it. Luckily the mistaken at-bat happened during a commercial break in Martinsville, so their mistake was never known about until the satellite feed version was uploaded on here a few years ago. Fun fact: Mark, along with a few other MLB players, briefly owned a NASCAR Busch Series team from 1998-99. It was numbered 8, and was sponsored by Clean Shower for some of its existence.

[@Toblehrone]

Do you have a link or time stamps? I'm kinda interested in hearing that call now. 👀

[@Busch22Fan]

@@Toblehrone Honestly, I haven't watched that version in a while, so I'm not sure of the exact timestamp (or even an estimated one, as the split-screens only happen when they're on the air). So, if you're interested, and you've got a few hours to burn, you will have to search for it on here and watch the entire thing. (It is during a break, so you could just skim through the video until you don't see any on-screen graphics, then try to listen for it.)

[@StevenEveral]

I remember hearing ads for health stores in the late 90s that openly stated they sold androstenedione, and marketed it as "The same supplement used by MLB slugger Mark McGwire". People knew McGwire was juicing and didn't care at the time. Also, for all the Seattle Mariners fans watching: Current M's manager Scott Servais was the catcher for Steve Trachsel during that game.

[@catman-du8927]

I believe they were legally allowed by MLB at the time so he wasn't doing anything "wrong"

[@54raynor]

Andro was definitely not against any MLB rules at the time, as it was sold legally as an OTC. Other sporting bodies had classified it as an anabolic steroid, but that is irrelevant to this case.

[@stevewilliams1176]

Andro was not a steroid. It was a mild test "booster" which is not to be confused at all with exogenous testosterone injections which raise your total testosterone levels. "Boosters" only give a temporary boost to levels of "free testosterone" which lasts a couple hours and have zero effect on total test levels or levels of blood serum test. I've been a bodybuilder for over 20 years so I'm very familiar and educated on anabolics as they are as much a part of bodybuilding as a protein shake. What people need to realize is that steroids did not break that record, they simply gave an edge to guys that were already elite level athletes at the highest level of their sport. If it were just a matter of juicing up, than anyone could conceivably start taking them and hit 70 HR's. In that era it wasn't just Mac and Sosa, it was likely 80% of the league...pitchers included, and still only 2 men were able to hit 60+.

[@Cooe.]

​@@stevewilliams1176This is such an utterly horseshit take... 🤦 The home run rates would have been way, WAAAAAAAAY lower in the late 90's if no one had been juicing. Also Andro most DEFINITELY wasn't the only thing Mark was taking... There's a reason basically every baseball production stat exploded during the 90's. BALCO and others like it had basically every major player running steroid cycles, alternating with some test boosters (ala Andro/etc...) and HGH to recover after having got so shut-down. Rinse, repeat, get massive, and then slug balls like the world had never seen before (simply changing steroids everytime MLB would come up with a way to test for the latest anabolic hotness). The only reason Mark was able to break a record nobody could for DECADES prior is that he had a MAJOR medical advantage that prior JUST AS TALENTED sluggers didn't. End of story. 🤷

[@stevewilliams1176]

@@Cooe. Did you even read what I wrote? I said about 80% of the league was juicing at that time yet only 2 guys were hitting 60+ HR's. The talent had to be there first. McGwire was a HR hitter already and like I said, added an "edge" by taking test and deca which allowed him to recover to play enough games to break a record he had been "on pace" to break multiple years of his career when one injury or another sidelined him. My only mention of Andro was stating that it was not a steroid (and it wasn't)...I didn't say anything about McGwire not taking anything else. Obviously he was. Again, I've been a bodybuilder for over 20 years....read between the lines there. That said, if it were strictly about PED's then several "sluggers" would have been threatening that record. The talent had to be there first. McGwire showed from his Rookie year on that when healthy he was, at minimum, a 50+ HR guy. Hell, had he not played in Oakland, the worst park in the Bigs to hit HR's in during those years, he may have hit 61 his Rookie season...completely clean. I've never, repeat, never said McGwire didn't use. I knew then he was juicing. I'm just saying his ability was already there to begin with...that part, along with steroid use, is undeniable. Also, just an FYI....HGH has no impact on test levels (you mention it regarding recovery from shut down). If a person is cycling exogenous testosterone, he would need a drug like Nolvadex to recover natural test production.

[@Sam_on_YouTube]

Sosa held the solo record at 66. McGuire caught hit about 45 minutes later. Then hit 4 more homers while Sosa stayed put.

[@stevewilliams1176]

Technically Sosa never held the record as when he hit #66, that days games were still in progress. He would have only held the record if McGwire went homerless that night, which as we know he also hit #66......then 67 and 68 on Saturday and 69 and 70 on Sunday.

[@Sam_on_YouTube]

@@stevewilliams1176 Not sure what you mean by "technically." I don't think MLB would recognize that as his record even if it took McGuire until the next day to beat it. It is the single season home run record. I doubt they would count it if someone only held the record for part of the season. Though it has never come up that I know of to count a single season record holder for just part of a season. If they were to count that, I see no reason why holding it for a day would be any different than holding it for 45 minutes. Is there some rule I'm not aware of?

[@stevewilliams1176]

@@Sam_on_KZbin McGwire hit his 66th the same night Sosa hit his. So they both finished that days schedules games tied with 66. My point his that Sosa was not officially recognized as the single season HR record holder when he hit his 66th because games were still in progress around the league, including St. Louis.

[@jennyanydots2389]

Sammy bleached his skin and white now.

[@logalogalog]

​@@jennyanydots2389he went from "Off the Wall" to "This Is It" in a pretty short span.

[@zlinedavid]

There was actually a 4th guy just on the fringe of the race: Greg Vaughn kept pace for the first month and a half and still finished with 50.

[@j.mieses8139]

That 1998 season was so much fun. As a kid witnessing all of this I could not get enough of it. It was by far the most entertaining season for me as a Lifelong Baseball fan

[@jeyfromnowhere]

I'm a Cubs fan, my dad's a Cardinals fan. I was watching this on TV in California while my dad was working security for a strip mall. He was in a Circuit City watching on a TV they had tuned to the game. I stood by our phone ready to dial his pager number. Ball is hit and sails over the fence. My dad's pager goes off and he lets out a breath of anger cos he just wants to watch the celebration. He looks down to see the two digit page I had just sent him. 62.

[@jennyanydots2389]

Did ur daddy ever beet yo ass in hard when them Cubbies beet the Cards? Good thing the Cards usually win that rivalry otherwise yo daddy prolly have beetin yo ass in too hard and start beetin them teeth right out ur stupid mouf boy!!

[@thegamebastard]

Great story

[@jennyanydots2389]

@@thegamebastard Did you get along with your dad? Me neither.

[@mjsher2]

This race brought people back into stadiums and care about baseball again. Both of these players deserve to make the hall of fame for it.

[@jennyanydots2389]

These races!! The hall of fame is a pit of despair full of joo's, races, and ugly whites who totes dead now anyway. I should be in HOF son!!

[@dfp_01]

Given that the substances they were taking were legal, that they made it public, and that they had a generally good relationship with the media through all of it, yeah, absolutely. Their career numbers would also back up their Cooperstown case, even if their rejuvenation of the league didn't speak for itself.

[@jennyanydots2389]

MLB doesn't have to adhere to the same standards of the law as the federal or state government, they can hold themselves and its members to a higher standard if they want (they are a privatly, not state-run entity). MLB outlawed anabolic steroids in 1988. Andro and all the other substances they were using were known to be just different versions of the same thing... "performance enhancing drugs". As MLB sees it, just because they weren't aware of the substance in the time to ban it immediately, that doesn't mean the players didn't know what they were doing and why they were taking it. It's not a court of law, we don't have to play stupid and pretend they really believed that they were just taking those substances and gaining 50 lbs of muscle from a simple "nutritional supplement". That's idiotic. You can try and play the Donald Trump "but technically it's legal, right?" game but it just exposes you to be ethically compromised or at the least hypocritical.

[@monstermikeheinrichs]

This is something that's upset me about the whole situation for the last several years. MLB needed to get fans back after the 94 strike and did so after homerun production went up and you had a chase for a record. Sure, many of the players were using steroids (I've seen more than 80% thrown out there), but for the stuff that we know was getting used, afaict, it was legal at that time. But we got all high and mighty about steroid use, and instead of just saying "Hey, don't use steroids or you'll get in lots of trouble", it was decided to just ban an entire era from the Hall of Fame. So MLB profits off of all these guys that made baseball fun to watch again and the players get screwed for breaking rules that didn't really exist yet.

[@route2070]

This race, was when i was 6, was one of my first sports memories, and legitimately my introduction to baseball.

[@jennyanydots2389]

Yeah but, what was your first child abuse memory? That's what I think people up in here deserve to know about son.

[@patrickwaclaw]

Same age and same feeling!

[@jennyanydots2389]

@@patrickwaclaw You were abused as a child as well? Sexually?

[@brandonthesteele]

I was 8 living in rural Wyoming. Even there, people were excited about Sosa/McGwire, enough for me to vivdly remember it and click on this video.

[@omegamanGXE]

@@jennyanydots2389probably when he went to the synagogue and met the rabbi

[@veerchasm1]

In retrospect it was like rooting for CVS versus Rite Aid

[@MrAlvin714]

As a 9 year old , this was such an amazing time . I’m a dodger fan but I caught myself watching every cubs game on wgn and whenever cards were on

[@jennyanydots2389]

Did them beetings handed down by yo daddy make it any less amazing son?

[@rectalespionagesailboat4819]

As a kid I think this really helped spur my interest in baseball. I was young, but it was still so much fun to follow - and I still remember it vividly.

[@Flair3777]

That homerun chase really was as magical as they say. As a high school kid and Cardinals fan, it was the highlight of my year. Thank you Mark!

[@Daniel-xp4yg]

yea u supported a drugie and a cheater.

[@glenhoerner8837]

This is what made me fall in love with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.

[@tommysteeves4227]

That homerun race was better than any series ever played

[@Los150]

Admit it, this era of baseball was fun.

[@hmhm856]

1993-2004 was the greatest and most memorable era in MLB history. So much happened during this era. Ironically, the peak of the PED era

[@calekarr10]

This season is one of my core baseball memories. 7 year old me watched more baseball that year than any other time in my life. Its when I became interested in the Red Sox, began hating the Yankees, and idolozed Big Mac. I still have his 70 HR season Wheaties box in my house. 1998 is one of the most important years in all of baseball history.

[@trivialtrav]

I live in Chicago and although I was young when this happened, I still remember the buzz. You could literally be at a store somewhere not even watching and someone would yell "Sammy's Up" which would cause everyone to stop what they're doing and huddle around whatever TV or radio there was.

[@Traysandor]

I'm old enough to remember seeing this one live on TV, even though my teenage self didn't really care about the sport in general otherwise. I was dealing with high school and other typical awkward teenage stuff, but I still have the record of that moment somewhere in the old paper archives.

[@Seneka51]

Yep, watched this game and had a McGwire poster in my room later on even though I was never a Cards fan.

[@jennyanydots2389]

OMG WTF you like, 93 YO or something boiiiii!?!?!?!??!?!? Totes prolly gots them gross balls in adult diapers thing goin on son!!

[@anthonys3892]

Sosa was my favorite player as a kid, I (my dad) caught a foul ball hit by Sosa at my first ever cubs game when I was around 3 months old

[@p3pp3rm4n92]

This is when I used to actually watch baseball... Now, it's just clips

[@juancuelloespinosa]

The fact the opposing cubs players shook his hand tells you just how captivated everyone was for this. I don't remember the rangers doing that for aaron judge

[@julianthesmooshyhusky8976]

Baseball has not and will not be this exciting ever again.

[@oeao2841]

This is the reason I became a baseball fan in 1998

[@alphabassist]

I remember seeing the Cards play at Wrigley when I was about 6. I don’t remember anything about the game besides the beauty of 1000s of flash bulbs every time MM or SS came to bat. The twinkling started slow and built up to this crazy intensity until the catcher caught the pitch or contact was made. It was a surreal sight that I’ll never forget.

[@GustavoShrapnel]

I've never been a big fan of baseball but even I tuned in for this when it aired, was a pretty cool thing at the time.

[@tonybarr5630]

1998 was my favorite year to watch sports with this home run chase and the Bulls second 3 peat. Got to watch a few games at Busch stadium that year. Don't think anything will top it.

[@chrislane3228]

Best I have seen in a while. Just awesome.

[@onemaddad3823]

I was lucky enough to watch this race as a 9 year old, baseball obsessed kid. This was the most exciting time in baseball history, in my opinion. This was baseball at it’s best, and most fun to watch. I remember all the flashes going off to every pitch, whenever McGwire was at bat. People hate on steroids, but everyone was using it back then. And steroids don’t make you hit 50+ home runs in a season. It gives you a little extra umf, but that’s it. This was the best baseball there ever was.

[@greencm7142]

Great video. The HR race was fun to watch. But, The Mitchell Report and BALCO destroyed all of that.....

[@trentonayershandsoffire3620]

Yeah it did

[@cleganebowldog6626]

Fantastic video on a great memory. Thanks!

[@lazywallstreetnews7234]

That Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine commercial is my favorite baseball commercial of all time. Classic bit!

[@sslocke]

I was 9 during the home run chase. Doping or not this was still one of the most exciting seasons to watch. And being an Astros fan I had to see these two a lot.

[@donniekuzma9517]

The single greatest season in sports history

[@travelreview5962]

Remember this like it was yesterday! Took baseball almost 20 years to recover after the steroid scandal bs.

[@paysonfox88]

Shohei ohtani will do that for a sport. He's the reason the game came back 100%. Finally there's a superstar doing something that steroids could never allow him to do. Otani could be taking all the steroids in the world, and it would not allow him to pitch and hit as well as he's doing right now.

[@patrickwaclaw]

Perhaps one of my earliest memories was this game. I was 6 years old and still remember watching it with my parents. As a Cubs fan, seeing Sammy congratulate McGwire at the plate was something I'll always remember. The Cubs and Cardinals were the biggest rivals in sports, full stop. The two players still respected and (somewhat) rooted for each other. The 1998 season was was unlike any other, and I'm afraid we'll never see anything like it. The 2003 and even 2016 were special, but with different reasons. Each of these three seasons were memorable in their own rights, but 1998 was when l fell in love with the game.

[@mattcolver1]

I remember the neighborhood bars were packed every night when McGuire and Sosa were close to the record. I was in one with the game on when McGuire got the record.

[@jasonkoch3182]

There we’re an abnormally large number of kids from my junior high school at that game. Every year, after the first quarter, everyone who made honor roll received four free Cardinals tickets. There were a limited number of games that we could use them for but that Sept. 8 game was one of them because at the time nobody thought a September game between the mediocre Cardinals and mediocre Cubs was going to be an important game. And Quincy, where we were all from, is right on the border between Cubs nation and Cardinals nation. I think there were 20 or 25 kids from my junior high who saw history for free. I know, cool story Holmes.

[@shakadeveaux6851]

Lol

[@forty8ninety]

The home run race was the best time of my youth. I don’t care about anything else. It was awesome!

[@jennyanydots2389]

You're a races then I see

[@thosedarnkids1]

I loved it !!! I bought so much damm Mcqwire merchandise… (now worthless) but was fun and incredible to watch at every bar ,house party , club !!!

[@ioncarebro]

that was a legendary call to jus a great moment

[@jolaoso]

the only thing missing from this masterpiece is the clip of them special guest starring on "The Simpsons" - 'dingers! dingers!'

[@aarond23]

I was at work, worked a gas station job at the time, heard it on the radio lol

[@thosedarnkids1]

The 2 of them saved base ball . Every bar every club was cheering these to on it was incredible to watch !!!! I am thankful I got to see it ..

[@ChadH2023]

This was a magical summer of baseball. I doubt it will be duplicated again. I remember watching Bonds n Big Mac take BP in St Louis, effing amazing.

[@garretth3478]

I was 7 in ‘98… The chase to 61 is why I fell in love with baseball… Thank you Sammy and McGwire!

[@Iridescence93]

My memories of it are ruined giiven what we know now though. frauds.

[@stevewilliams1176]

@@Iridescence93 Get over it

[@Iridescence93]

@@stevewilliams1176 It's not something I think about a lot. I just don't care about cheaters. Congrats to Judge, Aaron and Maris who did it the right way. Bonds, McGwire and Sosa don't deserve to be celebrated IMO

[@stevewilliams1176]

@@Iridescence93 Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa have paid a price for what they did by forfeiting the HOF. I don't feel any different about 1998 now than I did then. It's still the greatest summer of baseball in my lifetime to date (I'm now 52) and I'd rather relive Mac HR's on KZbin than watch the product MLB has going right now. So agree to disagree.

[@jennyanydots2389]

Are you sure it wasn't cuz yo daddy was beetin yo ass on the regular as a boy son?

[@benjaminjaskoski1334]

I moved to Germany when I was four years old and moved back to the US five years later in the summer of 1998 right in the middle of this home run race. After spending more than half of my childhood outside of the US, the McGwire and Sosa home run battle was the first thing of any significance going on that I took note of as a kid after moving back home.

[@pyrotechnic96]

Two minutes in and there's already been a few great turns of phrase

[@oeao2841]

I remember that day when I was 10 years old…it was awesome

[@justinchristie5194]

Such good childhood memories 🎉

[@mpaulm]

This chase got me watching baseball when I was a teen. Became a Cards fan as well too.

[@bigpasty1582]

Tuned in as often as possible that season. Being a cubs fan and having them finally in the playoff push was icing on the cake💙❤️

[@rolmodel12.]

Yeah, lost in all of this was the Cubs returning to the playoffs for the first time since 1989. A stretch where the team had just two seasons with a winning record; saw the team lose its best pitcher in a decade to free agency (Greg Maddux); and lose it's best overall player of the 80's to a combo of a messy divorce and age finally catching up (Ryne Sandberg). That season was not supposed to be much different, with an aging roster and question marks all over the field. But, they scratched and clawed their way to a one game, win-and-your-in game with San Fransisco, and made it back to the postseason. I didn't even get too down about them being swept by Atlanta. The Braves were a juggernaut and the upstart Cubs weren't supposed to even be there. But, that season and that team, led by Sammy and rookie Kerry Wood, gave me hope for the future. Something I had not had in a long while, as a fan.

[@Daniel-xp4yg]

yea except sosa was a druggy and a cheater lol. moron.

[@jonsmith1956]

I loved Sammy Sosa as a kid

[@charlesandrews2360]

Took my kids to one game in Wrigley field. Sosa hit one, McGuire hit two that day. They both had around 50 home runs at the time.

[@jimnfl7134]

Still keeping 120 plus cards of Mark McGwire going back to A's in 1987 and 1988. Also have Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey Jr, RIP Kirby Puckett, Nolan Ryan and Kent Hrbek.

[@omegamanGXE]

Rip Calken

[@elmascavidal1797]

What a time to be alive… being Dominican from uptown Manhattan, I was rooting for sosa #21 the summer of 98’…. 💪🏻⚾️🇩🇴🇩🇴

[@mr.intamin1081]

Got beat by McGuire the true king

[@andrewalden8364]

@@mr.intamin1081True king? McGwire couldn’t hold Bonds’ jock.

[@elmascavidal1797]

@@mr.intamin1081 😂😂😂😂😂….. it was on hell of a summer…. 98’

[@stevewilliams1176]

@@andrewalden8364 In terms of hitting HR's, McGwire is the king. Highest HR/AB ratio of all time....a full at bat better than Babe Ruth. Mac hit 583 HR's in just over 6,100 at bats. Bonds had over 9,800 at bats. Taking McGwire's HR/AB ratio of 10.6 over the same total number of at bats as Bonds and it comes to 928 career HR's. In terms of overall player, that's not even worth debating as Bonds was a 5 tool guy and McGwire was a HR specialist....but that's the subject here: HR's. Longevity (and consistency) was the key to Bonds' HR total of 762. He played 22 seasons compared to 16 for McGwire.

[@BENergizer1]

I grew up in this era, the '98 season was the first time I remembered paying attention to baseball, and the Home Run Race was the reason why. I can't tell you who won the World Series that year or the year after, heck I can't tell you much about '90s baseball in general, but I can tell you who Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are and how bright their stars shone for a kid growing up in the Midwest, where the Cubs v Cards games were on our TV every time they played.

[@commiehunter733]

Nobody hit bombs like Big Mac.. Dude was hitting missiles

[@susan_beaver]

Always love your baseball content!

[@dionruffin3996]

Baseball need this right now

[@wakkawakkagaming3710]

Griffey's role in this becomes downright heroic when you see it as one natty fighting against the surge of roiders

[@jennyanydots2389]

He wasn't natural son. Don't kid urself boy.

[@wakkawakkagaming3710]

@@jennyanydots2389 Besmirching KG's legacy is unamerican, child.

[@jennyanydots2389]

@@wakkawakkagaming3710 The amount of Stacker 3's Kenny G Jay was throwin down in the locker rooms back in the day was un'merican boy!! Pretty sure he smokes a fair amount of crack too.

[@jennyanydots2389]

son@@wakkawakkagaming3710

[@wakkawakkagaming3710]

@@jennyanydots2389 one of you two is certainly on crack

[@ForEverton12]

I remember reading a book about this home run chase when I was younger and they included Tony Gwynn in the race

[@stevewilliams1176]

Gwynn was chasing 3,000 hits (which he reached in 1999), not any HR record as he was not a HR hitter.

[@ForEverton12]

@@stevewilliams1176 that makes more sense, thanks. I wasn’t tuned in as an infant that year lol

[@duhbigcat1848]

Great content!!!

[@Kylora2112]

This was the season that saved baseball in the wake of the '94 strike, but also made the sudden downfall sting that much harder when José Canseco dropped his bombshell. It's also kinda funny how much the andro debate raged on when it was explicitly legal in MLB. Legal: yes. Good look for the sport: in hindsight, definitely not.

[@serisothikos]

I remember when the androstenedione scandal broke mid-season and then got hushed up immediately. Put me off the whole race. Thank you for including Shank's absolutely ludicrous column as an example of willful blindness.

[@serisothikos]

@@MichaelMiller-wn8yh The supplements discussion was rapidly and completely overshadowed by the prevailing narrative - as exemplified by Shank's column - until the season ended.

[@OliveMule]

This time was AMAZING

[@Ledmetacdc]

This was in the same years that my dads broncos with John elway won 2 super bowls. I was 6, and it was the first time I became truly aware of sports. People might downplay it now, but we literally followed this story in my elementary school. It was a big goddamn deal across the country.

[@dabears87_76]

The single greatest season of baseball ever.

[@GATguy98]

Me and my homies remember when Sosa was black

[@fingersm]

No way!!! 😂😂😂

[@showtimenick824]

I remember in high school, I had a teacher who is a die-hard Cubs fan and HATES the Yankees. When he gave us something to read in class, it actually was related to what we were learning in class, not just to tease us Yankee fans, steroids got mentioned when it came to the Yankees so one classmate said oh and Sammy Sosa. Then another said and he corked his bat and I said and he turned white. 🤣 He laughed it off though and said I don't care what you have to say.

[@pleasestaysafe2787]

"...And they lived happily ever after!"

[@maikdc91]

That was dope

[@bagofchicken]

This 'record' will always have an asterisk next to it. I'll bet if Maris was juiced the record would be in the triple digits.

[@TommyD1213]

Love how Cubs players are congratulating him even as they are in the middle of a Wild Card chase themselves. Mark Grace was such a great first baseman. I miss those days when it was cool to hit .330.

[@Dfturcott]

Baseball needed this, and it was what everyone wanted. Don’t forget that.

[@DLAsmash]

I was eating GOOD as a kid growing up in Chicago in the 90s. Everyone knows Jordan but it's hard to overstate how crazy we were about Sosa back then too. Guy kept hitting over 60 HRs a season; while he never actually broke his record of 66, he was on pace for it in several times after and it kept me glued to the screen. I think I stopped watching pro sports after their last good run (the year of the infamous Bartman Ball) because I maxxed out on the hype of these superstar athletes as a kid and never learned to follow a team as a team.

[@bradwurst8141]

Baseball was so back, then it was so over for a while, and now I think we're so back again

[@tragiksituation]

Summer of 98 i was a high school graduate and all we talked about that yr me and my homeboys living in Baltimore County Maryland was the debut DMX album and the Sosa and McGwire HR race even local news stations in Maryland was talking bout that HR race and me my childhood friend and his father all watched the game at my friends house and we went crazy when McGwire tied Maris....and yea we all knew that it was some illegal activity going on but most of us didn't care i mean we was all in the moment matter fact millions of fans was in the moment and it went from being a sport to entertainment like an entertaining reality show

[@arizonawrestlinginterviews1040]

This video just further illustrated how ignored Barry Bonds was in 1998. He became the only player in baseball history to record 400 career home runs and 400 stolen bases, and he still holds that distinction today. Hell, Secret Base covered it in the History Of The Seattle Mariners classic series. But just like 1998, Secret Base ignored that fact here. If that was intentional, that was a great subtle move!

[@AcidBombYT]

He was trash in 98 thats why. nobody cares about barry bonds hes a joke. Look at his rookie season and then last season. fing cheater, get the f out of here and it didnt really matter when he did it because it had already been done.

[@54raynor]

In fact, Bonds is the only member of the 500-500 club. He was actually 2nd among all active MLB players in career stolen bases at the time of his blackballing, er, retirement.

[@dfp_01]

Yeah, the first decade or so of Bonds' career was really special. Unfortunately it's the latter half that gives a lot of people pause. Whereas McGwire and Sosa were using supplements that MLB hadn't banned, several years later Bonds juiced during and after the steroid crackdown. And whereas the pair in '98 were by and large friendly to each other and to the media, Bonds always seemed to have a bone to pick with somebody. Not to say that Bonds in his 30s wasn't an extraordinarily talented player, but his inflated stats come from a much more negative position than those accrued by McGwire, Sosa, or any of the other guys who were experimenting chemically in the late '90s.

[@arizonawrestlinginterviews1040]

@@dfp_01 I agree with everything you said, but I still don't think the BBWA should use that as just cause to not let him in Cooperstown, especially when you consider the fact that Cap Anson and Ty Cobb are still there

[@omegamanGXE]

@@arizonawrestlinginterviews1040why what did Cobb do

[@demonlove_unw]

Did not expect to be this early lol

[@stonecoldku4161]

Kansas vs. Memphis. The 2008 National Championship. Mario's Miracle deserves a Deep Rewind.

[@KWCline91]

Barring the circumstances behind the chase, you cannot deny that this was great for baseball and it was also one of the best seasons in history. That year had other great storylines. Yankees 114 wins plus title #24, Cal Ripken Jr. ends historic streak at 2632, Roger Clemens winning Cy Young #5, Barry Bonds becoming the first 400 HR, 400 stolen base man, the Cubs-Giants wild card playoff race, Mike Piazza traded to the Mets, Alex Rodriguez having a 40HR-40SB season, Randy Johnson going 10-1 in Houston, and the Padres World Series run.

[@brientaylorcohen]

Aside from Ripken and Randy... those accomplishments are all tainted 😞

[@Halmir4126]

​@taco_fall_out___boy everything is tainted Ruth benefitted from segregation, wonky stadiums and logs as bats. Hank Aaron had greenies, Rickey had cocaine, judge had juiced balls.

[@rolmodel12.]

Yes! I've mentioned this before, as well. This season brought the sport back.

[@Owenthebaseballguy]

I love how all the cubs players were congratulating him while he rounded the bases

[@FranklinSteele]

I am SO here for this.

[@bishyaler]

Sosa's 98-03 run of dingers was crazy

[@rolmodel12.]

People thought he came outta nowhere. But, Cubs fans knew he had potential. Sammy was the first Cub to make the 30-30 club, before the power surge began and he stopped swiping bags. Back then, he was also known to have a cannon of an arm- despite taking some adventurous paths to the ball. He was a raw talent, but their was a LOT of talent there.

[@Daniel-xp4yg]

@@rolmodel12.yea he was a cheater. no wonder he got good numbers.

[@TheIkaraCult]

Here in the UK this was news back in the late 90s, where baseball essentially never gets any coverage ever. Simpler times. Simpler, anabolic times

[@Dangic23]

As an ex-baseball player, I always said that it didn’t matter what PED these folks were taking, you still have to hit a tiny ball coming at you at 100mph. Still requires skills and talent.

[@Chuck_EL]

Also some are just naturally gifted to hit home runs strength does help but you still gotta have the talent

[@TeKDeLorean]

I don't think anyone is saying these guys don't have talent, they are just trying to be fair to the other guys who weren't using and didn't have an advantage

[@markjackson6431]

Beef History: Lindros vs Flyers Organization Overlap: Greatest College Football Coach (Saban) and the Greatest NFL Coach (Belichick) coaching in the same division Untitled: Ken Griffey Junior Rewinder: 2006 Orange Bowl 3OTs Untitled: Jim Kelly Collapse: Early 90s Bills Untitled: Red Sox Players (particular Yaz) Prism: Steph Curry and all those mid major players Rewinder: The Catch By Willie Rewinder: Hank Aaron and Bonds breaking the respective HR record Untitled: Don Nelson

[@dfp_01]

Fran Tarkenton would be another good one for Untitled if they don't already have one

[@markjackson6431]

@@dfp_01 i don’t think they do.

[@camrennik9512]

I was at the game when Sammy hit 61 & 62. Pretty baller, even after the facts and such.

[@rickdiaz3657]

It's been a long time and there hasn't been another race for the record between 2 players. but there is the possibility that Judge and Ohtani can compete in the coming years. This year would have been a good opportunity but judge was injured, plus he already has the record in the AL. Btw amazing video 👍

[@DrVagine88]

"He went from the darkest of horses..." I see what you did there.😂😂😂

[@crazizzle85]

Sammy was such a good sport about everything

[@jennyanydots2389]

Turns out he'd been beetin his dawgs teeth out they mouf every few months when the roid rage and the media came to be too much fo his dumb ass to handle proper and right. Sammy was goin through like 39 dawgs per years during those peak years son... so many roids, so much dissapointment, dude just couldn't take it when he went home at night... took it all out on them dawgs boy. Imagine peak roid rage Sammy just beetin a dawg to death with his bear hands.... Slammin Sammy could prolly take out like 3 or 4 dawgs at a time if he wanted to back then. He prolly can't even take on more than one of them dawgs these days.

[@omegamanGXE]

Sammy "Samosa" Sosa

[@xkptwistblazex]

Nefali Feliz striking out A-Rod to clinch the 2010 American League pennant to reach their first World Series deserves a rewind

[@domenicklamagna4240]

They always put the onus on the players for using steroids but never on MLB for changing the shape of the baseballs about 500 zillion times in the modern era. McGwire, Sosa and Griffey would’ve raked no matter what. Just so happened the league wound up the balls so tight in 98 it was like practically hitting a golf ball

[@KazloGaming]

I remember this as a teen and it was huge to me. Sammy Sosa was my favorite player of all time. Then the day came I met him and asked for an autograph. He shoved me and said get lost kid.... boom.... wasn't a fan after that

[@wastenotwantnot5953]

9:31 No need to apologize! That was the best part! XD

[@dandystreethawk27]

I'm surprised this one took so long to get to

[@yeeesitsme.ididit5927]

I am so happy the treatment of the journalist was highlighted. Truly f'd up