Mark McGwire

For the American musician, seeMark McGuire (musician).

Mark McGwire
McGwire with theSan Diego Padresin 2017
First baseman
Born:(1963-10-01)October 1, 1963 Pomona, California,U.S.
Batted:Right Threw:Right
MLB debut
August 22, 1986, for the Oakland Athletics
Last MLB appearance
October 7, 2001, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
Batting average	.263
Home runs	583
Runs batted in	1,414
Teams
As player Oakland Athletics(1986–1997) St. Louis Cardinals(1997–2001) As coach St. Louis Cardinals(2010–2012) Los Angeles Dodgers(2013–2015) San Diego Padres(2016–2018)
Career highlights and awards
12×All-Star(1987–1992,1995–2000) 2×World Serieschampion (1989,2011) AL Rookie of the Year(1987) Gold Glove Award(1990) 3×Silver Slugger Award(1992, 1996, 1998) 5×MLB home run leader(1987, 1996–1999) NL RBI leader(1999) Athletics Hall of Fame St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Medals RepresentingUnited States Men'sBaseball Summer Olympics 1984 Los Angeles Team Pan American Games 1983 Caracas Team Intercontinental Cup 1983 Brussels Team

Mark David McGwire(born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "Big Mac",is an American former professionalbaseballfirst basemanwho played 16 seasons inMajor League Baseball(MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for theOakland Athleticsand theSt. Louis Cardinals.He won twoWorld Serieschampionships, one with Oakland as a player in 1989 and one with St. Louis as a coach in 2011. One of the most prolifichome runhitters in baseball history, McGwire hit 583 home runs during his career, which ranked5th-most in MLB historyat the time of his retirement and currently ranks 11th.He holds the major-league career record forat bats per home runratio (10.6), and is the former record holder for bothhome runs in a single season(70 in 1998) and home runs hit by a rookie (49 in 1987). McGwire was one of several central figures inbaseball's steroids scandal.

McGwireled the major leagues in home runsin five different seasons, and set the major-league record for home runs hit in a four-season period from 1996 to 1999 with 245. He demonstrated exemplary patience as a batter, producing a career.394on-base percentage(OBP) and twice leading the major leagues inbases on balls.McGwire also led the league inruns batted inonce, on-base percentage twice, andslugging percentagefour times. Injuries cut short even greater potential, as he reached 140 games played in just eight of 16 total seasons. Injuries particularly cut into his playing time in 2000 and 2001 and factored into his decision to retire. A right-handed batter and thrower, McGwire stood 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall and weighed 245 pounds (111 kg) during his playing career.

With the Cardinals in 1998, McGwire joinedCubssluggerSammy Sosain achase for the single-season home-run recordset byRoger Marisin 1961. McGwire surpassed Maris and finished with 70 home runs,a record thatBarry Bondswould break three years later with 73.

In 2010, McGwire publicly admitted to usingperformance-enhancing drugsduring a large portion of his career.

Early life

McGwire was born in theLos Angelessuburb ofPomona, California.His father was adentist.He attendedDamien High SchoolinLa Verne, California,where he played baseball, golf, and basketball. He was drafted in the 8th round by theMontreal Exposin the 1981 amateur draft, but did not sign.

College career

He played college baseball at theUniversity of Southern California(where he was a teammate ofRandy Johnson,Jack Del Rio,andRodney Peete) under coachRod Dedeaux.

McGwire was selected by the Athletics with the 10th overall selection in the1984 MLB draft.

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

After three years at USC and a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, McGwire was drafted tenth overall in the1984 Major League Baseball draftby theOakland Athletics.

Oakland Athletics (1986–1997)

McGwire debuted in the major leagues in August1986,hitting threehome runsand nineruns batted inin 18 games.

Rookie home-run record and major-league leader (1987)

Retaining his rookie status in 1987, McGwire hit four home runs in the month of April, but followed in May with 15 and another nine in June. Before the All-Star break arrived, he had totaled 33 home runs and earned a spot on theAmerican LeagueAll-Star team.On August 11, he brokeAl Rosen's AL rookie record of 37 home runs.Three days later, McGwire broke the major-league record of 38, whichFrank RobinsonandWally Bergerhad jointly held. In September, McGwire hit nine more home runs while posting monthly personal bests of a.351batting average,.419on-base percentage(OBP) and 11doubles(2B). With 49 home runs and two games remaining in the regular season for him to reach 50 home runs, he missed the games in order to attend the birth of his first child. McGwire also totaled 118runs batted in,a.289 batting average, 97runsscored, 28 doubles, a.618slugging percentageand a.370on-base percentage(OBP). McGwire's 49 home runs as a rookie stood as a major league record untilAaron Judgehit 52 for theNew York Yankeesin 2017.

Not only did McGwire lead the AL in home runs in 1987, but he also tied for the major-league lead withChicago Cubsright fielderAndre Dawson.McGwire also led the major leagues in slugging, finished second in the AL in adjustedon-base plus sluggingpercentage (OPS+, 164) and total bases (344) and placed third in RBI and on-base plus slugging (OPS,.987). He was unanimously chosen as the ALRookie of the Year Awardand finished sixth overall in the ALMost Valuable Player Awardvoting.

More All-Star appearances (1988–1991)

McGwire with the A's, 1989

From1988to1990,McGwire followed with 32, 33, and 39 home runs, respectively, becoming the first Major Leaguer to hit 30+ home runs in each of his first four full seasons.On July 3 and 4, 1988, he hit game-winning home runs in the 16th inning of both games.Through May 2009, McGwire was tied for third all-time withJoe DiMaggioin home runs over his first two calendar years in the major leagues (71), behindChuck Klein(83) andRyan Braun(79).

McGwire's most famous home run with the A's was likely his game-winning solo shot in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 3 of the1988 World Seriesagainst theLos Angeles Dodgersand former A'scloserJay Howell.McGwire's game-winner brought the A's their only victory in the 1988 World Series, which they lost in five games; however, McGwire and his fellowBash Brother,José Canseco,played a large part in the 1989 championship club that defeated theSan Francisco Giantsin the famous "Earthquake Series."

Working diligently on his defense at first base, McGwire bristled at the notion that he was a one-dimensional player. He was generally regarded as a good fielder in his early years, even winning aGold Glove Awardin 1990, the only one that theYankees'Don Mattinglywould not win between 1985 and 1994. In later years, his mobility decreased along with his defensive ability. His batting averages after his rookie season plummeted to.260,.231, and.235 from 1988 to 1990. In 1991, he bottomed out with a.201 average and 22 homers.ManagerTony La Russasat him for the final game of theseasonto avoid causing his batting average to dip below.200. Despite the declining averages during this time of his career, McGwire's highbase-on-ballstotals allowed him to maintain an acceptable on-base percentage. In fact, when he hit.201, hisOPS+was 103, just over the league average.

McGwire stated in an interview withSports Illustratedthat 1991 was the "worst year" of his life, with his on-field performance and marriage difficulties, and that he "didn't lift a weight" that entire season. With all that behind him, McGwire rededicated himself to working out harder than ever and received visual therapy from a sports vision specialist.

Career resurgence (1992–1997)

The "new look" McGwire hit 42 homers and batted.268 in 1992, with an outstanding OPS+ of 175 (the highest of his career to that point), and put on a victorious home-run-hitting show at theHome Run Derbyduring the1992 All-Star break.His performance propelled theA'sto the American League West Division title in 1992, their fourth in five seasons. The A's lost in theplayoffsto the eventualWorld SerieschampionToronto Blue Jays.

Foot injuries limited McGwire to a total of 74 games in1993and1994,and just nine home runs in each of the two seasons. He played just 104 games in1995,but his proportional totals were much improved, as he hit 39 home runs in 317 at-bats. In1996,McGwire belted a major-league-leading 52 homers in 423 at-bats. He also hit for a career-high.312 average and led the league in both slugging and on-base percentage.

McGwire's total of 363 home runs with the Athletics surpassed the previous franchise record. He was selected or voted to nineAmerican LeagueAll-Star teams while playing for the A's, including six consecutive appearances from1987through1992.On April 21, 1997, McGwire became the fourth and final player to hit a home run over the left-field roof ofDetroit'sTiger Stadium,joiningHarmon Killebrew,Frank HowardandCecil Fielder.The blast was estimated to have traveled 491 feet.

St. Louis Cardinals (1997–2001)

On July 31, having already amassed 34 home runs in the1997 season,McGwire was traded from theOakland Athleticsto theSt. Louis CardinalsforT. J. Mathews,Eric LudwickandBlake Stein.Despite playing just two-thirds of the season in the American League, he finished ninth in home runs. In 51 games with the Cardinals to finish the 1997 season, McGwire compiled a.253 batting average, 24 home runs, and 42 RBI. Overall in 1997, McGwire led the majors with 58 home runs. He also finished third in the major leagues in slugging percentage (.646), fourth in OPS (1.039), fifth in OPS+ (170), tenth in RBI (123), and ninth in walks (101). He placed 16th in the NL MVP voting.

It was the last year of his contract, so there was speculation that McGwire would play for the Cardinals only for the remainder of the season, then seek a long-term deal, possibly in Southern California, where he still lived; however, McGwire signed a contract to stay in St. Louis. It is also believed that McGwire later encouragedJim Edmonds,another Southern California resident who was traded to St. Louis, to forgo free agency and sign a contract with the Cardinals in 2000.

Single-season home run record chase (1998)

Main article:1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase

McGwire batting during a May 1998 game

As the1998 seasonprogressed, it became clear that McGwire,Seattle MarinersoutfielderKen Griffey Jr.,andChicago CubsoutfielderSammy Sosawere all on track to breakRoger Maris's single-season home run record.The race to break the recordfirst attracted media attention as the home-run leader changed often throughout the season. On August 19, Sosa hit his 48th home run to move ahead of McGwire; however, later that day McGwire hit his 48th and 49th home runs to regain the lead.

On September 8, 1998, McGwire hit a pitch by the Cubs'Steve Trachselover the left-field wall for his record-breaking 62nd home run, setting off massive celebrations atBusch Stadium.The fact that the game was against the Cubs meant that Sosa was able to congratulate McGwire personally on his achievement. Members of Maris's family were also present at the game.The ball was given to McGwire in a ceremony on the field by the stadium worker who found it.

McGwire circling the field atBusch Memorial Stadiumin aChevrolet Corvetteafter hitting his 62nd home run of the season.

McGwire finished the 1998 season with 70 home runs (including five in his last three games), four ahead of Sosa's 66, a record that was broken three seasons later in 2001 byBarry Bondswith 73.

McGwire was honored with the inauguralBabe Ruth Home Run Awardfor leading Major League Baseball in home runs.Although McGwire had the prestige of the home-run record, Sammy Sosa (who had fewer home runs but more RBI and stolen bases) won the 1998NL MVP award,as his contributions helped propel the Cubs to theplayoffs(theCardinalsfinished third in the NL Central). Many credited the Sosa-McGwire home run chase in 1998 with "saving baseball" by attracting new, younger fans and bringing back old fans soured by the1994–95 Major League Baseball strike.

Later playing career (1999–2001)

McGwire kept his high level of offensive production from 1998 going in1999while setting or extending several significant records. With 65 home runs, he led MLB for the fourth consecutive season. It was also his fourth consecutive season with at least 50 home runs, extending his own major league record. Sosa, who hit 63 home runs in 1999, again trailed McGwire. Thus, they became the first, and still only, players in major league history to hit 60 or more home runs in consecutive seasons. McGwire also set a record from 1998 to 1999 for home runs in a two-season period with 135. He also owned the highest four-season home-run total, with 245 from 1996 to 1999. In 1999, he drove in an NL-leading 147 runs while only having 145 hits, becoming the first player with more RBIs than hits in a season.

Following the 1999 season, McGwire and the Cardinals exercised a mutual option in his contract for the 2001 season which would pay him $11 million for the 2001 season. Shortly before the 2001 season, McGwire and the Cardinals agreed to another extension through the 2004 season for $30 million which, according to Phil Rogers in theChicago Tribune,was far less than he could have made in free agency.

McGwire hitting a home run in St. Louis against the Tigers on July 14, 2001

However, in 2000 and 2001, McGwire's statistics declined relative to previous years as he struggled to avoid injury, hitting 32 home runs in 89 games in 2000 and 29 in 97 games in 2001. He retired after the 2001 season.

International career

McGwire played for theUnited States national teamduring his collegiate years. On the 1984 team, he batted.359 over 35 games.McGwire was selected to the roster for theSummer OlympicsinLos Angelesthatsame year.That squad, which included future Hall-of-FamerBarry Larkin,emerged as the favorite for the competition, afterCubajoined the Soviet Union-ledboycottof the games. The U.S. team won thesilver medalin the tournament, with Japan finishing ahead for the gold medal. McGwire finished the five-game competition 4–21 with no home runs.McGwire later said of the 1984 Olympics squad: "People may not have recognized it at the time, but that was definitely a dream team."

Coaching career (2010–2018)

McGwire as coach for theSt. Louis Cardinals in 2011

After his playing career ended, McGwire demonstrated coaching ability, personally assisting players such asMatt Holliday,Bobby CrosbyandSkip Schumakerbefore accepting an official role as hitting coach with an MLB team. On October 26, 2009, Cardinals managerTony La Russaconfirmed that McGwire would become the club's fifthhitting coachof La Russa's tenure with the Cardinals, replacingHal McRae.McGwire received a standing ovation prior to the Cardinals' home opener on April 12, 2010.In his three seasons as Cardinals hitting coach, the team's prolific offense led the National League in batting and on-base percentage, and the team finished second in runs scored.

In early November 2012, McGwire rejected a contract extension to return as Cardinals hitting coach for the 2013 season. Instead, he accepted an offer for the same position with theLos Angeles Dodgersin order to be closer to his wife and five children.

On June 11, 2013, McGwire wasejectedfor the first time as a coach during abench-clearing brawlwith theArizona Diamondbacks.He was suspended for two games starting the next day.

On December 2, 2015, he was named bench coach for theSan Diego Padres.He left the team after the 2018 season.

Honors, records and achievements

Known as one of the top sluggers of his era, McGwire ended his career with 583 home runs, which was fifth-most in history when he retired. When he hit his 500th career home run in 1999, he did so in 5,487 career at-bats, the fewest in major league history.He led all of MLB in home runs in five different seasons: 1987 and each season from 1996 to 1999. His total of 245 home runs from 1996 to 1999 is the highest four-season home-run output in major league history. In each of those four seasons, he exceeded 50 home runs, becoming the first player to do so. He was also the first player to hit 49 or more home runs five times, including his rookie-season record of 49 in 1987. With a career average of one home every 10.61 at-bats, he holds the MLB record for most home runs per at-bat, leading second-place Babe Ruth by more than a full at-bat (11.76).

As of 2015, McGwire owned three of the four lowest single-season AB/HR ratios in MLB history, which covered his 1996, 1998 and 1999 seasons; they were actually the top three seasons in MLB history until Bonds broke his single-season home-run record in 2001. McGwire's 1997 season ranked 13th.Considered one of the slowest runners in the game, McGwire had the fewest career triples (six) of any player with 5,000 or more at-bats, and had just 12 stolen bases while being caught stealing eight times.

Honors and distinctions

In a 1999 list of the 100 greatest baseball players,The Sporting Newsranked McGwire at number 91. The list had been compiled during the1998 seasonand included statistics through the1997 season.That year, he was elected to theMajor League Baseball All-Century Team.In 2005,The Sporting Newspublished an update of its list with McGwire at number 84.

A five-mile stretch ofInterstate 70 in Missouriin St. Louis and near Busch Stadium was named Mark McGwire Highway to honor his 70-home-run achievement, along with his various good works for the city. In May 2010, St. Louis politicians succeeded in passing a state bill to change the name to Mark Twain Highway.

National Baseball Hall of Fame consideration

McGwire first became eligible forHall of Famevoting in 2007. For election, a player needs to be listed on 75% of ballots cast; falling under 5% removes a player from future consideration. Between 2007 and 2010, McGwire's performance held steady, receiving 128 votes (23.5%) in2007,128 votes (23.6%) in2008,118 votes (21.9%) in2009,and 128 votes (23.7%) in2010.The2011 ballotresulted in his first sub-20% total of 115 votes (19.8%), and McGwire's total votes continued to decline (112 votes (19.5%) in2012,96 votes (16.9%) in2013,63 votes (11.0%) in2014and 55 votes (10.0%) in2015) until he was eliminated after receiving only 54 votes (12.3%) in2016.

Records

MLB and team records

Accomplishment	Record	Date(s)	Refs
Major League Baseball records
Fewest at-bats to 500 career home runs	5,487	1999
Fewest career at bats per home run	10.6
Home runs in a four-season period	245	1996–1999
Consecutive 50-HR seasons	4†
50-HR seasons	4††
Consecutive 60-HR seasons	2†	1998–1999
Home runs in a two-season period	135
Single-season highest RBI/H ratio	1.014	1999
Oakland Athletics records
Lowest career AB/HR ratio	12.1
Career HR	363
Lowest single-season AB/HR ratio	8.1	1995, 1996
St. Louis Cardinals records
Lowest career AB/HR ratio	7.9
Highest career OPS	1.222
Highest career OPS+	180
Highest career SLG	.683
Lowest single-season AB/HR ratio	7.3	1998
Most HR in a season	70
Most times on base in a season	320
Most bases on balls in a season	162

† –tied withSammy Sosa

†† –tied withBabe RuthandSammy Sosa

Playing career totals

In 16 seasons playing major league baseball (1986–2001), McGwire accumulated the following career totals:

• G1,874
• ABs6,187
• Runs1,167
• Hits1,626
• Doubles252
• Triples6
• HR583
• RBI1,414
• GIDP147
• BB1,317
• IBB150

• HBP75
• SH3
• SF78
• Strikeouts1,596
• SBs12
• CS8
• BA.263
• OBP.394
• SLG.588
• OPS.982
• OPS+162

Steroid use

In a 1998 article byAssociated PresswriterSteve Wilstein,McGwire admitted to takingandrostenedione,an over-the-counter muscle enhancement product that had already been banned by theWorld Anti-Doping Agency,theNFL,and theIOC;however, use of the substance was not prohibited byMajor League Baseballat the time, and it was not federally classified as an anabolic steroid in the United States until 2004.

Jose Cansecoreleased a book,Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big,in 2005. In it, he wrote positively about steroids and made various claims—among them, that McGwire had used performance-enhancing drugs since the 1980s and that Canseco had personally injected him with them.

In 2005, McGwire and Canseco were among 11 baseball players and executives subpoenaed to testify at a congressional hearing on steroids. During his testimony on March 17, 2005, McGwire declined to answer questions under oath when he appeared before theHouse Government Reform Committee.In a tearful opening statement, McGwire said:

Asking me or any other player to answer questions about who tooksteroidsin front of television cameras will not solve the problem. If a player answers 'No,' he simply will not be believed; if he answers 'Yes,' he risks public scorn and endless government investigations... My lawyers have advised me that I cannot answer these questions without jeopardizing my friends, my family, and myself. I will say, however, that it remains a fact in this country that a man, any man, should be regarded as innocent unless proven guilty.

On January 11, 2010, McGwire admitted tousing steroidson and off for a decade and said, "I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."He admitted using them in the 1989/90 offseason and then after he was injured in 1993. He admitted using them on occasion throughout the 1990s, including during the 1998 season. McGwire said that he used steroids to recover from injuries.

McGwire's decision to admit using steroids was prompted by his decision to become hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. According to McGwire, he took steroids for health reasons rather than to improve performance.

Personal life

McGwire's brotherDan McGwirewas aquarterbackfor theSeattle SeahawksandMiami Dolphinsof theNFLin the early 1990s, and was a first-round draft choice out ofSan Diego State University.He has another brother, Jay McGwire, a bodybuilder, who wrote a book in 2010 detailing their shared steroid use.

McGwire married Stephanie Slemer—a formerpharmaceutical sales representativefrom the St. Louis area—inLas Vegason April 20, 2002. On June 1, 2010, their triplet girls were born: Monet Rose, Marlo Rose, and Monroe Rose. They join brothers Max and Mason. Mason was drafted by theChicago Cubsin the eighth round of the2022 MLB draft.They reside in agated communityin Shady Canyon,Irvine, California.Together they created the Mark McGwire Foundation for Children to support agencies that help children who have been sexually and physically abused come to terms with a difficult childhood. Mark has a son, Matthew (b. 1987), from a previous marriage (1984–1990, divorced) to Kathleen Hughes.

Prior to admitting to using steroids, McGwire avoided the media and spent much of his free time playing golf.He also worked as a hitting coach for Major League playersMatt Holliday,Bobby Crosby,Chris DuncanandSkip Schumaker.

McGwire appeared as himself in season 7, episode 13 of the sitcomMad About You.

McGwire provided his voice for a 1999 episode ofThe Simpsonstitled "Brother's Little Helper",where he played himself.

See also

• 1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase
• At bats per home run
• List of doping cases in sport
• List of Major League Baseball home run records
• List of Major League Baseball career bases on balls leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career extra base hits leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career OPS leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career strikeouts by batters leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career slugging percentage leaders
• List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
• Major League Baseball titles leaders
• St. Louis Cardinals award winners and league leaders

Further reading

• Lupica, Mike (1999).Summer of '98: When Homers Flew, Records Fell, and Baseball Reclaimed America.Chicago: Contemporary Books.

External links

• Mark McGwireatMajor League Baseball
• Mark McGwireatBaseball-Reference.com(major league)
• Mark McGwireatBaseball-Reference.com(minor league)
• Mark McGwireatESPN.com(MLB)
• Mark McGwireatFanGraphs.com

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Mo Vaughn	American League Player of the Month June 1996	Succeeded by Juan González
Preceded by Mike Piazza Jeff Kent Jeromy Burnitz	National League Player of the Month September 1997—May 1998 September 1998 July 1999	Succeeded by Sammy Sosa Matt Williams Vladimir Guerrero
Preceded by Roger Maris	Single season home run record holder 1998—2000	Succeeded by Barry Bonds
Preceded by Larry Walker	National League Slugging Percentage Champion 1998	Succeeded by Larry Walker
Preceded by Steve Finley	Two or more 3-home run games in a season 1998	Succeeded by Jeff Bagwell

Sporting positions
Preceded by Hal McRae	St. Louis Cardinals Hitting Coach 2010–2012	Succeeded by John Mabry
Preceded by Dave Hansen	Los Angeles Dodgers Hitting Coach 2013–2015	Succeeded by Turner Ward
Preceded by Dave Roberts	San Diego Padres Bench Coach 2016–2018	Succeeded by TBA