Mark McGwire

Mark David McGwire, known as "Big Mac," is a retired American first baseman who spent 16 MLB seasons with the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals from 1986 to 2001. He earned World Series rings in two different roles: as a player with Oakland in 1989 and as a St. Louis coach in 2011. A legendary power hitter, McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs—fifth all-time when he retired and now 11th. He still holds the MLB record for the best at-bats-per-home-run ratio (10.6) and once owned the single-season home run mark (70 in 1998) and the rookie home run record (49 in 1987). McGwire was also a key figure in baseball's performance-enhancing drug scandal.

He led the majors in home runs five times and set a four-season record with 245 homers from 1996 to 1999. Known for his disciplined approach at the plate, he posted a career .394 on-base percentage and twice led the league in walks. He also topped MLB in RBIs once, on-base percentage twice, and slugging percentage four times. Injuries limited his potential, as he played 140 or more games in only eight of his 16 seasons, especially cutting into his 2000 and 2001 campaigns and influencing his retirement. A right-handed hitter and thrower, McGwire stood tall and weighed a listed amount during his playing days.

In 1998, while with the Cardinals, McGwire and Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa chased Roger Maris's single-season home run record. McGwire surpassed Maris with 70 homers, a mark later broken by Barry Bonds with 73 in 2001. In 2010, McGwire publicly admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs for much of his career.

Born in Pomona, California, a Los Angeles suburb, McGwire grew up the son of a dentist. He attended Damien High School in La Verne, where he played baseball, golf, and basketball. The Montreal Expos drafted him in the eighth round of the 1981 amateur draft, but he did not sign.

McGwire played college baseball at the University of Southern California, teammates with Randy Johnson, Jack Del Rio, and Rodney Peete under coach Rod Dedeaux. The Sporting News named him college baseball player of the year in 1984.

After three years at USC and a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, the Oakland Athletics selected him tenth overall in the 1984 MLB draft. He played for the Single-A Modesto A's in 1984 and 1985, then started 1986 in the minors with the Double-A Huntsville Stars and Triple-A Tacoma Tigers.

McGwire made his MLB debut on August 22, 1986, and got his first hit two days later in his third game. In 18 games that season, he hit three home runs and drove in nine runs but batted just .189.

Still a rookie in 1987, McGwire hit four homers in April, then 15 in May and nine in June. By the All-Star break, he had 33 home runs and an All-Star spot. On August 11, he broke Al Rosen's AL rookie record of 37 homers; three days later, he broke the major-league rookie record of 38, shared by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger. In September, he hit nine more homers while posting personal monthly bests of a .351 average, .419 on-base percentage, and 11 doubles. With 49 home runs and two games left, he skipped them to attend the birth of his first child. He finished with 118 RBIs, a .289 average, 97 runs, 28 doubles, a .618 slugging percentage, and a .370 on-base percentage. His 49 rookie homers stood as a record until Aaron Judge hit 52 for the Yankees in 2017.

McGwire led the AL in home runs in 1987 and tied for the major-league lead with Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson. He also led the majors in slugging, finished second in the AL in adjusted OPS+ (164) and total bases (344), and placed third in RBIs and OPS (.987). He was the unanimous AL Rookie of the Year and finished sixth in AL MVP voting.

From 1988 to 1990, McGwire hit 32, 33, and 39 home runs, becoming the first major leaguer to reach 30 homers in each of his first four full seasons. On July 3 and 4, 1988, he hit game-winning homers in the 16th inning of both games. Through his first two calendar years, he tied Joe DiMaggio for third all-time with 71 home runs, behind Chuck Klein (83) and Ryan Braun (79).

His most famous home run with the A's was likely a game-winning solo shot in the bottom of the ninth of Game 3 of the 1988 World Series against the Dodgers and former A's closer Jay Howell. That gave Oakland its only win in a five-game series loss. Along with fellow "Bash Brother" José Canseco, McGwire was key to the 1989 championship club that beat the San Francisco Giants in the "Earthquake Series." He worked hard on his defense at first base and was generally considered a good fielder.