birdlogo.gif (2786 bytes)                Mark    birdlogo.gif (2786 bytes)

 

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!

A MARK FOR THE AGES (20KB)                 Mark acknowledges the fans! (19KB)

"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!!!!

 

 

1998 SI Sportsmen of the Year    SI - What a Season    SI - Extra Edition

        SI - The Record    

    

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Career Highlights

 

 

1999 St. Louis Official Yearbook   

 

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.

 

1999 Spring Training Program  

   

 

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

 

       

 

       

 

Time - Outta Here    

St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1999 #4    St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1998 #9

St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1998 #8    St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1998 #7

St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1998 #5    St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1998 #2

St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1997 #8    St. Louis Cardinals Gameday Magazine - 1999 #6

 

 

Fowl Ball - Mark McGwire   Fowl Ball - Mark McGwire

 

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Mark McGwire - Swing King - 9-28-98

 

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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.)

Red Line

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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Cardinal (or Baseball) Trips:

Great Ballpark Adventures!

 

Red Line

Cardinal Caravans:  1990   1998   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2012

(No pics:  1991  1992  1993  1994)

Winter Warm-ups: 2007  2010

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Mark & Matt (24KB)

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Updated: 01/16/21                               mailbox.gif (1210 bytes) Comments? Cardsfan@ford-mobley.com