Mark
Well... What should I do now?
I've had this page on my website for almost 20
years, but now that Mark has admitted to performance enhancing drug
use during his Cardinal years, I'm not sure if I should have this
"tribute" on my website at all.
I'm leaning towards taking this page down.
What do you think?
If you care to comment, send me an e-mail!
cardsfan@ford-mobley.com |
Good-Bye
Big Mac! It's been unbelievable!!!
It's going to be hard to
go to a Cardinals game or watch them on TV next year without thinking about
they last four seasons. The anticipation and excitement of each
McGwire plate appearance will be greatly missed. The getting to the
ballpark way early just to see him crank a few into the cheap
seats. The staying the entire game (which I always do anyway)
just hoping the Big Man would get one more chance. The whole way
Cardinals fans approach a game will change. But WOW, I
wouldn't give up the past four years for anything, would you!!!!
Thank you St. Louis
Cardinals for trying to make a better team around Mark, and thank you Mark
McGwire for putting life back into baseball!!!
When I first heard Mark
had made it official, I couldn't believe it... Here is a man who is 17
home runs away from 600 and absolute baseball immortality (with Aaron, Ruth
and Mays) and he throws in the towel?!?!?! However, that's the kind of
person he is and looking back on it what else would we expect? He gave
to baseball and its fans all he had and when he thought he didn't have
anything more, he said good-bye. What else is there is say.
McGwire
Retires (Sports Illustrated)
McGwire
"by the numbers" (Sports Illustrated "Statitudes")
McGwire
Retires (MLB)
McGwire's
Retirement Statement
"Last January, Mr. DeWitt and I
verbally agreed on a generous two-year contract extension from the Cardinal
organization.
After considerable discussion with
those closest to me, I have decided not to sign the extension, as I am unable to
perform at a level equal to the salary the organization would be paying
me. I believe I owe it to the Cardinals and the fans of St. Louis to
step aside, so a talented free agent can be brought in as the final piece of
what I expect can be a World Championship-caliber team.
So, I am walking away from the game
that has provided me opportunities, experiences, memories and friendships to
fill 10 lifetimes.
For years I have said my motivation
for playing wasn't for fame and fortune, but rather the love of competing.
Baseball is a team sport and I have been lucky enough to contribute to the
success of some great teams.
I want to thank the St. Louis
Cardinal organization, Mr. DeWitt, Mr. Jocketty, Tony La Russa and the
thousands of Cardinal faithful for making St. Louis home for the past four
years. I want to thank the Oakland A's and all of the fans in
California for giving me my start, and the millions of baseball fans around
the world who have inspired me to compete night in and night out."
Although Mark
was only with the Cardinals for a few years, he made his presence known in an unbelievable
way. He has caused as much excitement in the past couple of years as if the Cards
had won the World Series. When Mark swings the bat, the camera flashes are something to
see. He has almost single handedly made baseball the national pastime once again and
his humble attitude has won the hearts of all baseball fans!
"This is a season that I will
never, ever forget, and I hope everybody in baseball never forgets. Thank you."
-- Mark McGwire
"I don't know if I want to break
my own record. I think I would rather just leave it as is." -- Mark
McGwire
"I don't play the game for
records. I play the game because I love it. It just happens to be a milestone."
-- Mark McGwire
MLB Career Home Run
Leaders McGwire Home Runs/year
1. |
Barry
Bonds |
762 |
|
|
1986 - |
3 |
2. |
Hank Aaron |
755 |
|
|
1987 - |
49 |
3. |
Babe Ruth |
714 |
|
|
1988 - |
32 |
4. |
Alex Rodriguez |
696 |
|
|
1989 - |
33 |
5. |
Albert Pujols |
662 |
|
|
1990 - |
39 |
6. |
Willie Mays |
660 |
|
|
1991 - |
22 |
7. |
Ken Griffey Jr. |
630 |
|
|
1992 - |
42 |
8. |
Jim Thome |
612 |
|
|
1993 - |
9 |
9. |
Sammy Sosa |
609 |
|
|
1994 - |
9 |
10. |
Frank Robinson |
586 |
|
|
1995 - |
39 |
11 |
Mark
McGwire |
583 |
|
|
1996 - |
52 |
12 |
Harmon Killebrew |
573 |
|
|
1997 - |
58 |
13 |
Rafael Palmeiro |
569 |
|
|
1998 - |
70 |
14 |
Reggie
Jackson |
563 |
|
|
1999 - |
65 |
15 |
Manny Ramirez |
555 |
|
|
2000 - |
32 |
16 |
Mike Schmidt |
548 |
|
|
2001 - |
29 |
17 |
David
Ortiz |
541 |
|
|
|
|
18 |
Mickey Mantle |
536 |
|
|
|
|
19 |
Jimmie Foxx |
534 |
|
|
|
|
20 |
Ted
Williams |
521 |
|
|
|
|
|
Willie McCovey |
521 |
|
|
|
|
|
Frank Thomas |
521 |
|
|
|
|
The
Sporting News
has ranked Mark number 91 in their list of the top 100 greatest players of all
time!!!!
Career Highlights
- Debut:
8/22/1986 --- Final game: 10/7/2001
(Career
summary)
- Fewest games to reach 20 HRs. (35, 2000)
- Ranks 7th on all-time slugging percentage list (.587)
- Second player ever to hit 60 HRs in two straight
seasons. (1998,99)
- Third player in ML history to lead both leagues in
HRs. (AL in 1987 and 96, NL in 98)
-
One of three to hit 200 HRs in each league. (Frank Robinson & Fred
McGriff)
- First player in ML history to hit at least 50 HRs in
four straight seasons. (1996,97,98,99)
- Fastest player to hit 500 home runs. - 5,487 at bats
(Ruth did it in 5,801 at bats)
- Single season Home Run leader - 70 (1998)
- Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year (1998, shared
with Sammy Sosa)
- Presented with the prestigious St. Louis Award. (1998)
- Ties Willie Mays' ML record for most consecutive games
homered in (4) to start a season.
- 400 HRs in fewest at-bats - (4,726) in ML history.
- First player to hit 25 HRs before May 31st.
(1998)
- Ties Reggie Jackson's ML record for most HRs before
the All-Star break. (37 - 1998)
- Hits 40 homers in 281 at-bats. (1998)
- Breaks Hack Wilson's NL record for most HRs before
Sept. 1 (1998)
- First player in ML history to hit at least 50 HRs in
three straight seasons. (1996,97,98)
- Hits 50 homers in 390 at-bats. (1998)
- 1987 Rookie of the Year
- From 1995 to 2000, amassed 316 homers
and just 308 singles.
- Career HR/AB ratio of 10.6.
- Elected to the St.
Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame - 2017
Career Stats:(as
of 10/1/01)
Yr |
Team |
Avg |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
SB |
OBP |
SLG |
1986 |
OAK |
.189 |
18 |
53 |
10 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
18 |
0 |
.259 |
.377 |
1987 |
OAK |
.289 |
151 |
557 |
97 |
161 |
28 |
4 |
49 |
118 |
71 |
131 |
1 |
.370 |
.618 |
1988 |
OAK |
.260 |
155 |
550 |
87 |
143 |
22 |
1 |
32 |
99 |
76 |
117 |
0 |
.352 |
.478 |
1989 |
OAK |
.231 |
143 |
490 |
74 |
113 |
17 |
0 |
33 |
95 |
83 |
94 |
1 |
.339 |
.467 |
1990 |
OAK |
.235 |
156 |
523 |
87 |
123 |
16 |
0 |
39 |
108 |
110 |
116 |
2 |
.370 |
.489 |
1991 |
OAK |
.201 |
154 |
483 |
62 |
97 |
22 |
0 |
22 |
75 |
93 |
116 |
2 |
.330 |
.383 |
1992 |
OAK |
.268 |
139 |
467 |
87 |
125 |
22 |
0 |
42 |
104 |
90 |
105 |
0 |
.385 |
.585 |
1993 |
OAK |
.333 |
27 |
84 |
16 |
28 |
6 |
0 |
9 |
24 |
21 |
19 |
0 |
.467 |
.726 |
1994 |
OAK |
.252 |
47 |
135 |
26 |
34 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
25 |
37 |
40 |
0 |
.413 |
.474 |
1995 |
OAK |
.274 |
104 |
317 |
75 |
87 |
13 |
0 |
39 |
90 |
88 |
77 |
1 |
.441 |
.685 |
1996 |
OAK |
.312 |
130 |
423 |
104 |
132 |
21 |
0 |
52 |
113 |
116 |
112 |
0 |
.467 |
.730 |
1997 |
OAK |
.284 |
105 |
366 |
48 |
104 |
24 |
0 |
34 |
81 |
58 |
98 |
1 |
.383 |
.628 |
1997 |
STL |
.253 |
51 |
174 |
38 |
44 |
3 |
0 |
24 |
42 |
43 |
61 |
2 |
.411 |
.684 |
1998 |
STL |
.299 |
155 |
509 |
130 |
152 |
21 |
0 |
70 |
147 |
162 |
155 |
1 |
.470 |
.752 |
1999 |
STL |
.278 |
153 |
521 |
118 |
145 |
21 |
1 |
65 |
147 |
133 |
141 |
0 |
.424 |
.697 |
2000 |
STL |
.305 |
89 |
236 |
60 |
72 |
8 |
0 |
32 |
73 |
76 |
78 |
1 |
.483 |
.746 |
2001 |
STL |
.188 |
96 |
298 |
48 |
56 |
4 |
0 |
29 |
64 |
56 |
118 |
0 |
.317 |
.483 |
|
------- |
------ |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
--- |
----- |
----- |
16Yrs |
|
.263 |
1873 |
6186 |
1167 |
1626 |
252 |
6 |
583 |
1414 |
1317 |
1596 |
12 |
.394 |
.588 |
Season totals
listed in red denote the player led the entire ML in
that category.
They said it...Fun facts:
"It was an awesome baseball moment...
Opening Day, bases loaded, the star -- the modern day Babe Ruth -- comes up and hits a
grand slam." -- Cardinals ex-third baseman Gary Gaetti commenting on Opening Day,
1998.
"He's like an amusement park ride, even
for guys who play." -- Phillies outfielder Ruben Amaro.
"He crushed it. He has the power of
three men. I've never faced anybody like him. He's a man among boys."
-- Brewers pitcher Paul Wagner
"I regretted throwing the pitch as soon
as I saw where it was going." -- Giants pitcher John Johnstone, who surrendered
McGwire's 477-foot bomb. (#23, May 23rd, 1998)
"People will be wondering if they did
that with Babe Ruth." -- Giants pitcher Orel Hershiser, who said Manager Dusty
Baker "made a legend" of McGwire by having him intentionally walked with two
outs and nobody on base in the 14th inning.
"He makes a place electric. Fans
jump to their feet just to see him hit one. Players also, but not the opposing
manager." -- White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel
"We weren't going to walk him. We
were trying to get him out. We want to develop men and players here. We don't
want to develop cowards." -- Montreal Manager Felipe Alou
"We want him to finish his career in St.
Louis, hit his 500th home run in St. Louis, hit 61 in a season here, and go into the Hall
of Fame as a Cardinal" -- General Manager Walt Jocketty
"This is beautiful. It's like a
fairy tale. Even more exciting than the World Series." - Stan
"The Man" Musial
In 1998, Mark McGwire was named
Player of the Month in April, May, and September. He thus became the first man in
the 40-year history of the award to be honored three times in one year. Mac had also
won it in Setember 1997, giving him three straight citations - another first - and four
awards in his first eight months in the NL. McGwire had won only one POM in 11 years
in the AL.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Collector's Pages (55-70)
Mark's links:
CNNsi
-- 1998 review (great site!)
Time's 1998 Hero of
the Year
Gumby's Mark
McGwire Online
Baseball Library
The Baseball Page
Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
ESPN
Classic
10 years later: McGwire on No. 62
Remembering the Summer of 98
Sources:
- St. Louis Cardinals 1999
Yearbook
- St. Louis Cardinal Gameday
Magazine, "Official Commemorative Edition"
- Legends Sports Memorabilia
Magazine, Vol. 10, #4
(This site is in no way
affiliated or sponsored by the St. Louis Cardinals or Major League Baseball and is
intended to be used for non-commercial, personal enjoyment. Although I
attempt to be as correct/accurate as possible when giving information in these documents,
I make no guarantees as to their accuracy. Questions/comments may
be sent to the address below.
Mark Mobley (1999-2021) all rights reserved.
All photos and/or images may be copyrighted by their original owners/sources.)
Do you have St. Louis Cardinal
collectibles or memorabilia sitting around collecting dust? Why not send
me an e-mail describing what you have? I might make you an offer!
I collect anything having to do
with the Cardinals. My e-mail is listed below! Thanks!
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Updated:
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