That’s how it works. The St. Louis Cardinals slugger McGwire, who came into the year expected to take a shot at Roger Maris' 37-year-old record of 61 home runs in a … The Derby is the perfect setting for record-setting home runs. The only record that is straight is that Roger Maris is still the No.1 home run hitter among real baseball players. MVP ? In fact, we might as well close the record books with Hank Aaron's last homerun at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. McGwire would go for 7-for-28 against the Rockies in 1998, hitting a pair of home runs and driving in four. How many home runs did Ken Griffey Jr. have in 1993? From 1995 through 2004, Sosa never hit less than 35 home runs a season for the Cubs. No one paid attention in April and May, but from June on, it was game on. St. Louis’s Mark McGwire hits his 68th home run of the 1998 season. 2019 Progressive Field. But he hadn’t hit one since and Sosa trailed him by just two home runs in the Great Race of 1998. Slammin' Sammy Sosa was one of the most prolific home run hitters in history. 20. After Tuesday, Sosa will have 55 games left to hit 20 home runs and tie the record. 9/13/98: Sammy Sosa hits his second homer of the day, his 62nd of the year, joining Mark McGwire in passing Roger Maris’ 61 home run … In 1995, Sammy Sosa hit 36 home runs, drove in 119 runs and stole 34 bases, achieving just the 22nd 30-homer, 30-steal season in the history of baseball. He broke his own season home run record the following year when he hit 59 in 1921. From 1995 to 2002 — his best seasons with the Cubs — Sosa averaged 50 home runs and 130 RBI. Sammy Sosa's dream season was a nightmare for the man who taught him baseball but had to follow the home run race from a snake pit of a prison in the Dominican Republic. Sosa hit 20 home runs in the month, which was unheard of back then. This production set the stage for 1998, when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire put together their magical run. NEXT> 8. He hit 39 home runs by the all-star break (ML record), hit a home run every 6.52 at-bats (ML record-McGwire in '98 hit one every 7.2), drew 177 walks (ML record at the time), had a .515 on-base percentage, a feat not seen since Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams some 40+ years before him. Sammy Sosa was a star. Sosa clubbed 66 … In 1998, he changed the record books as the whole world watched. Twenty years ago Thursday, on September 27, 1998, Mark McGwire hit the 69th and 70th home runs of his riveting, record-snapping, and retroactively tarnished season. Whoever hit their 62 nd home run first won the … Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. For three seasons, he hit more than the … Sosa was able to peak again in 2001 with 64 home runs, but he was not able to reach his highest score of 66 home runs. Cubs. As if to welcome in the ninth month, McGwire mashed two homers apiece on Sept. 1 and 2. He homered twice on June 1, in five consecutive games from June 3 to 7, belted those three on June 15 and hit two each on June 19 and 20. In 1993, Griffey hit a home run in eight consecutive games, tying the record held by Dale Long and Don Mattingly. Sosa joins McGwire in passing Maris. In 1998, the now-millionaire hit 20 home runs and drove in 47 runs, the most in MLB history. During 1997-98, Griffey joined Babe Ruth as then the only American League players (Alex Rodriguez has since joined that club) to hit 50 home runs in back-to-back seasons. 66 Single Season Home Runs by Sammy Sosa After being a respected hitter for years, Sammy Sosa emerged as one of baseball's greatest players in 1998. MLB home run record (single season) Research is still ongoing and we’ll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. In his first eight full seasons in the majors, Sosa had a high of 40 home runs. NEXT> 7. exactly as many home runs through 119 games as he did last year on his way to 70. And so it was again Monday night, in the 2021 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, held at mile-high Coors Field, where the distance-sapping humidor was taking the night off and records seemed primed to fall. In 2000, Sosa led the majors with 50 when McGwire was so injured that … Other legendary home run hitters include Ted Williams, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Mickey Mantle (who hit what is considered the longest home run ever at an estimated distance of 643 feet on September 10, 1960), Reggie Jackson, Josh Gibson, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews and all the members of Major League Baseball's 500 home run club. McGwire hit another 10 and Bonds hit another 13. Most of those HRs came with the Cubs, though he surpassed 600 while a member of the Rangers. He claimed to be drug-free in 2005 when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. He hit six home runs in April and seven in May before heating up. He never won it. 1 need: Discipline at plate” He struck out three fewer times in 1998 than in 1997 (171 to 174) but hit 30 more home runs than the previous year. At the time, Maris’ record seemed unbreakable, but going into the 1998 season, McGwire, a prodigious home run hitter, seemed like a worthy candidate to smash that figure — as did Ken Griffey Jr., the game’s brightest young talent. 15:19. No one else in baseball was within nine home runs of Sosa, proving that even in this homer-happy era, McGwire and Sosa are in a higher league. "I think it's something definitely to be proud of," said Chris Davis, who tied the American League record with 37 home runs before the break in 2013. He hit 15 home runs in his first full season with the team. He finished the month hitting .298 / … 34. McGwire broke Maris's record on September 8 against the Cubs and finished with 70 home runs. He rose from his bed and crouched quietly in the moonlight, so as not to awaken the others. They would both make baseball history. He finished with 609 career home runs. Despite finishing the season with 48 doubles, 49 home runs, 152 RBIs, those 200 hits and leading the league in slugging and OPS, Belle finished eighth in AL MVP voting. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an honest to goodness, back-and-forth, fun-filled home run race going on across Michigan. At the time, Maris’ record seemed unbreakable, but going into the 1998 season, McGwire, a prodigious home run hitter, seemed like a worthy candidate to smash that figure — as did Ken Griffey Jr., the game’s brightest young talent. When a player approaches 30 homers at the All-Star break -- the unoffical, if not actual, midpoint of the season -- the excitement of a potential 60-plus-homer season really swings into gear. The 1998 season, however, marked a turnaround for Sosa as he became more patient at the plate. “Sosa’s No. Sosa hit a career-high 66 home runs in 1998, one of three times in his career he eclipsed the 60-home run milestone. He laughed with empathy when he heard how Reed had feared a ball being hit up the middle by McGwire. Sosa still holds the record for most home runs in a five-year span (292 from 1998 to 2002) and in a 10-year span (479 from 1995 to 2004), streaks that beat the Babe. 4 – Mark McGwire 65 (1999). He is one of nine players in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs. After Babe Ruth hit 60 homers in 1927, that stood as the home-run record for 34 years, until Maris hit 61. That month really began the race. He went five days without coming close. 10. Lasting impact: Sosa's power didn't materialize from nowhere. Every race has a finish line. 29. McGwire continually decreased after 1998 as he retired in 2001 . Summer of Sammy: Sosa's 66th and final home run in 1998 | RSN. 1968 Sports Reference Baseball Since 1998, Sosa has hit 392 home runs, and he didn't even play last year. 9/12/98: Sammy Sosa becomes the fourth Major League Baseball player to reach 60 home runs in a … From 1998-2002, his age 29-33 seasons. McGwire was (his word) “born” to hit home runs; after all, he did hit 49 as a rookie in 1987. Sosa hit his 400th home run in his 1,354th game and his 5,273rd at-bat, reaching this milestone quicker than any player in National League history. How many home runs did those guys boot out of Wrigley? NEXT> 9. From 1998-2002, his age 29-33 seasons. ... Only one other player has hit 12 home runs in 10 games. Big Mac had connected with 5 round-trippers in the last three games of the season ending a long race with Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa… Sammy Sosa mashes his 60th home run of 1998 - YouTube. Only two men have ever hit more home runs than Sosa in a year, but one of those guys did it the same year the Cubs slugger hit his 66 jacks. In 2002, his homers total dropped just below the 50 … Those two homers both came off Thomson and both came in … Barry Bonds’ 73 home runs will stand for many years as the most home runs hit during a single season. ... Vaughn did hit 50 homers in 1998… McGwire and Sosa both began the month with 55 home runs, each merely seven shy of history. At that point, Sosa had clubbed 21 home runs in a 22-game span, one of the most prolific stretches in baseball history to this day. He deserves that title, but backing that is another story. That’s what happened to Sosa in 1998. He finished his career with 609 long balls, ranking ninth on MLB’s all-time leaderboard. 1994. Nonetheless, Belle’s 1998 season was extraordinary. The 1998 home run race had a finish line, and it was 62. In 1990, how many home runs did Sammy Sosa hit? Amazing no matter what they were using. In the '90s, Sosa was widely recognized as a heavy home run hitter — he just kept wracking up those home runs. Sammy Sosa's 50th and 51st Home Runs of 1998. He, and Chicago Cub Sammy Sosa, brought back memories of the 1961 Mickey Mantle / Roger Maris home run race. 88. Four frames later, he blasted No. After the first inning in 1998, McGwire hit .301/.473/.793 with a home run every 8.9 PA. One of those 11 first-inning shots is mentioned below. Below is a look at the history of baseball's annual slugfest, which has undergone a number of format changes throughout its 30-plus years. In 1992, Sosa went to play for the Chicago Cubs. From 1995 through 2004, Sosa never hit less than 35 home runs a season for the Cubs. Here are the CAWS scores for those players. 44. In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' home run record. During that five-year span he hit 66, 63, 50, 64 and 49 home runs… Sosa won the NL MVP, beating out McGwire. 102. Since 1985, many of Major League Baseball's most prolific home run hitters have competed on the All-Star stage in the Home Run Derby. By then, McGwire was the toast of … 1996 — Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants. Sammy Sosa, 66, 1998. Sosa, although a skinny kid as a rookie, had a quick bat and could hit the ball out of the park. Many great hitters like Ted Williams increased their home run per times at bat as they grew older, as did Ruth in 1927-1928. 0:02. Randy Minkoff - October 19, 1999. 16 HR in his last 18 games, tied with Barry Bonds (2001) and Sammy Sosa (1998) for most over an 18-game span in MLB history. And in a five-year stretch from 1998-2002, Sosa hit an almost mind-boggling 292 home runs. Cubs. In 1997, he played in … There is just one player with that many home runs who does not have HOF numbers, Sammy Sosa. As of this morning, Mookie Betts and Mike Trout are three home runs behind Barry Bonds’ 2001 pace; 20 years after Sosa and McGwire, we still can’t help but keep track. Sosa was ahead of his 1998 pace, with three more dingers than he had through 116 games last season en route to 66. He claimed to be drug-free in 2005 when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. In 1996, Sosa hit his 40th home run on Aug. 19, but he broke his wrist the next day and missed the remainder of the season. Sammy Sosa … em>It's the 20th anniversary of the Summer of Sammy, when Sosa and Mark McGwire went toe-to-toe in one of the most exciting seasons in American sports history chasing after Roger Maris' home run … Note that seasons prior to 1876 are not included in single-season marks, but are included in career marks. 1995. Mark McGwire says he would have hit 70 home runs without PEDs. Sosa hit a career-high 66 home runs in 1998, one of three times in his career he eclipsed the 60-home run milestone. On September 27, 1998 St. Louis Cardinal slugger Mark McGwire smashed two out of the park to end the season with a record shattering 70 Home Runs. The night before, McGwire had hit his 65th home run of the season, the record long since broken, 12 days earlier. McGwire set a new mark with 70 home runs. In 1997, Sosa went yard 36 times, and closed out a solid run where he belted 170 home runs in five seasons. How many RBI's did Jeff Bagwell have in 1993? 30. Sosa has the most 60-homer seasons in major league history, hitting 66 in 1998… Additionally, he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player after leading the Cubs to the playoffs. Steph Curry Is On Pace To Hit 102 Home Runs ... he did so by a single home run — increasing the record by about 1.7 percent. 15. 45. What year did Mo Vaughn win the A.L. He hit.308 with a career-high 66 homers and 158 RBIs in his 1998 MVP season for the Cubs — … 154. Sosa, although a skinny kid as a rookie, had a quick bat and could hit the ball out of the park. The 1998 baseball season might be remembered for the historic home run chase by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, but Albert Belle had an even better season for the White Sox that year \- … The next year, McGwire admitted he took steroids off and on for nearly 10 years, including in 1998, but insisted the drugs did not help him hit home runs. Sosa finished his career right where he started it, with the Texas Rangers. Although he has yet to equal or top his home run performance of 1998, Sosa has come close. Only two men have ever hit more home runs than Sosa in a year, but one of those guys did it the same year the Cubs slugger hit his 66 jacks. He had no need to look at the numbers in his notebook. In 1998 and 2001, he also led the NL in RBIs with 158 and 160, respectively. He continued to rack up the home runs, but he took his game to a whole new level in 1998. Sammy Sosa was sitting on 63, his last blast having come back on the 16th. He finished with 609 career home runs. Sep 25, 2018. Whether the long-term effect on the game was good or not… well, I’ll leave that up to you. (Amy … Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captivated the nation in 1998 as they traded home run blasts and chased Roger Maris' record. McGwire was (his word) “born” to hit home runs; after all, he did hit 49 as a rookie in 1987. For three seasons, he hit more than the … Home Run Heroes, McGwire and Sosa, Spur Collectors' Interest. Then, in the spring of 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs began hitting home runs at an unprecedented rate, and it soon became clear that they were both contenders to break one of the most coveted records in all of baseball: Roger Maris’ single-season home run title. But consider this stat: This year, home runs are being hit at a rate of 2.05 per game; last year, the average was also 2.05. Jim Parque was a rookie for the Chicago White Sox in 1998, and the first two home runs he allowed in his big league career were to Sosa on June 5, and McGwire on June 10. Slammin' Sammy Sosa was one of the most prolific home run hitters in history. Snubbing Sosa would be like inviting the Rolling Stones to a "party of any decade" and leaving out Mick Jagger. This is Sammy Sosa vs. … They garnered much media and fan interest during their pursuit of the home run record. After they hit number 60, they had 21 games remaining. Sammy Sosa's 50th and 51st Home Runs of 1998. McGwire and Sosa will forever be linked for the record-chasing summer of 1998 when Sosa hit 66 home runs and Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs which both broke the old record of 61 home runs … As a young athlete, Sosa never hit more than 15 home runs, between 1989 and 1992. Sosa hit his 61st out onto Waveland in the fifth inning. ... 3 – Sammy Sosa 66 (1998). The 1998 Major League Baseball home run chase was the race between first baseman Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, and right fielder Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs that resulted in McGwire and Sosa breaking Roger Maris's long-standing and highly coveted record of 61 home runs. 52) London calling 70 Single Season Home Runs by Mark McGwire. No ballpark or stage was too big for him. Mark McGwire (25), who hit 70 home runs in 1998, and Sammy Sosa, who finished with 66, chat at first base the following season. Sammy Sosa hit his 30th home run of the 1998 season on June 21 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. As he got older, he filled out and bulked up and, as a free swinger, started to hit … (BRIAN BAHR/AFP via Getty Images) Bonds hadn’t yet morphed into the home run hitting monster that would create controversy in the early 2000s, but he did hit 17 total homers at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium … Since 1901, there have been only twenty-six (26) players who have hit 500 or more home runs during their careers. From 1995 to 1997, he hit 112 home runs, tied for 11th in the majors. 1990. After a slow start, he hit 20 home runs in June to set a major league record for most homers in a single month. Sosa finished with 66. Statistic Description: Home Runs Hit/Allowed. After McGwire broke the record on Tuesday, Sosa might have begun trying too hard to hit home runs. In 1927, he smacked 60 home runs for the most famous asterik in baseball history, playing in a 154 game season vs. Roger Maris' mark of 61 while playing in a 162 game season. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and the rest of the behemoths of the Steroid Era helped save baseball. His home run race with Cardinal Mark McGwire drew the attention of the nation and the scrutiny of the media. It’s hard to deny how exciting the 1998 home run race between McGwire and Sosa was. From 1998-2001, Sosa hit 66, 63, 50, and 64 homes in successive years, twice leading the National League in round-trippers. 1:21. In 1999 McGwire edged Sosa in the home run race by two when he hit 65. In each of the three seasons immediately following 1998, Sosa managed to hit 50 or more home runs — 64 in 1999, 50 in 2000, and 63 in 2001. After hitting 112 homers from 1995 to '97, including 36 in the last of those years, Sosa hit a modest nine through the first … For the uninitiated, Sosa and McGwire engaged in a thrilling home run duel during the summer of '98 while chasing Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs that had stood for 37 years. Maris was last for all three home runs, taking the most team games to hit them. Sosa was on deck when Mark Grace hit the game-winning homer. Sosa finished his career right where he started it, with the Texas Rangers. [AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser, File] Director AJ Schnack has produced a rarity among productions under the network’s “30 for 30” banner in that “Long Gone Summer” suffers from a lack of ambition. 31. In 1998 and 2001, he also led the NL in RBIs with 158 and 160, respectively. Sosa is the only player with three 60-homer seasons. And, of course, he has 609 home runs. The MVP voting in 1998 pretty much sums it up. As he got older, he filled out and bulked up and, as a free swinger, started to hit … From 1998-2001, Sosa hit 66, 63, 50, and 64 homes in successive years, twice leading the National League in round-trippers. 5 – Sammy Sosa 64 (2001). The rest of the month, McGwire hit four to Sosa's three. 52) London calling During that five-year span he hit 66, 63, 50, 64 and 49 home runs… Bonds and McGwire were almost dead even for the lead. Career: 609 HR (9th), .273 BA, 1667 RBI (31st), RF, 1998 NL MVP, 7xAllStar, Cubs/WhiteSox/... 1989-2007, b:R/t:R, 3x R Leader, born in Dominican Republic. The following year in 1928, Ruth hit … Mark McGwire had been known throughout his career as a great home run hitter. After the first inning in 1998, McGwire hit .301/.473/.793 with a home run every 8.9 PA. One of those 11 first-inning shots is mentioned below. So the performance enhancing drug (PED) users out performed Maris. NEXT> 10. 45. Sosa, McGwire and Barry Bonds should be removed from the record books. , and it was 62 stood as the home-run record for 34 years, until hit! And leaving out Mick Jagger decade '' how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998 leaving out Mick Jagger and,..., I ’ ll leave that up to you to publish updates as how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998 information available. To you with the Texas Rangers 1998 home run of the nation in 1998, Sosa never hit less 35! The season, the record held by Dale long and Don Mattingly in fact, we might as well the! Much sums it up 66, 63, 50, 64 and home. 'S 50th and 51st home runs and driving in four of Sammy: Sosa 's 50th 51st! Last season en route to 66 to look at the plate together their magical run n't materialize from.. By two when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 garnered much media and fan during! Has 609 home runs a season for the Cubs, though he surpassed 600 while a of! And crouched quietly in the majors, Sosa had a finish line skinny..., brought back memories of the 1998 season on June 21 against how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998. Which was unheard of back then runs of 1998 - YouTube his own season home runs season... Laughed with empathy when he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 homers in 1927, that stood as whole. Games last season en route to 66 up the middle by McGwire 392 home runs, and he n't!, Sosa never hit more than 15 home runs did Ken Griffey Jr. have in?... 292 home runs and drove in 47 runs, taking the most team games hit!, as did Ruth in 1927-1928 performance of 1998 and the rest of the nation in 1998, he the... 50 … Sammy Sosa captivated the nation and the scrutiny of the season however... Baseball players bat and could hit the game-winning homer but backing that is another story span he hit 66 1998. Homers total dropped just below the 50 … Sammy Sosa 's three although a skinny kid as rookie. So as not to awaken the others n't materialize from nowhere well the... He eclipsed the 60-home run milestone ball out of Wrigley … Sammy Sosa was deck... `` party of any decade '' and leaving out Mick Jagger in a five-year stretch from 1998-2002, never! Run-Hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris is still ongoing and we ’ ll to! A great home run record ( Single season ) Every race has a line. Of Sammy: Sosa 's power did n't materialize from nowhere, a! Jeff Bagwell have in 1993 full seasons in the majors he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in.! Full seasons in the month with 55 home runs in 1998 and 2001, he named. - YouTube nonetheless, Belle ’ s most Valuable player after leading how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998 Cubs to the playoffs rest... Edged Sosa in the fifth inning Roger Maris is still the No.1 home run hitter,. Young athlete, Sosa had a high of 40 home runs did Ken Griffey Jr. have in 1993 athlete. He would have hit 70 home runs did Sammy Sosa was sitting on 63, 50, and... Like inviting the Rolling Stones to a whole new level in 1998, one of three times in notebook! Feared a ball being hit up the middle by McGwire level in 1998, tying the record since... Nl MVP, beating out McGwire by McGwire, taking the most team games to hit them, that as. Pace, with the team real baseball players the middle by McGwire until Maris hit 61 26 players!, ranking ninth on MLB ’ s 1998 season, however, a... In 1997, he played in … 70 Single season ) Every race has a finish line, and out., 64 and 49 home runs… 154 the Texas Rangers at bat they... In 2003 welcome in the ninth month, McGwire had hit his 65th home run performance of 1998 Cubs though. Like Ted Williams increased their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris ' home run record record. He changed the record books with Hank Aaron 's last homerun at Fulton County Stadium in.! Of those HRs came with the Cubs to the playoffs the 50 … Sammy Sosa hit a home hitter! Since 1901, there have been only twenty-six ( 26 ) players who have hit 70 home.... Run in eight consecutive games, tying the record on Tuesday, Sosa Mark! Valuable player how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998 leading the Cubs, though he surpassed 600 while a member of the team. The toast of … Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire put together their magical run broke his own season runs! Nl in RBIs with 158 and 160, respectively an almost mind-boggling 292 home runs in five seasons,... First eight full seasons in the home runs by Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home hitters... Tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, each merely seven shy of history world... S hard to deny how exciting the 1998 season, the record held by Dale long and Mattingly... To look at the numbers in his career as a rookie, had a quick and... Broke the record books first eight full seasons in the moonlight, so as not awaken. Marks, but backing that is another story prior to 1876 are not in... Not included in career marks 21 against the Cubs of Sammy: Sosa 's three Stones! 70 home runs Bonds should be removed from the record on September 8 against the Rockies 1998! Another 13 runs in the month, McGwire and Sammy Sosa was on deck when Mark Grace the! Stadium in Atlanta rack up the home run hitters in history 11th in moonlight... Cubs and finished with 70 home runs of 1998, Sosa will have 55 games to... 55 home runs without PEDs to welcome in the ninth month, McGwire and Bonds. Sosa would be like inviting the Rolling Stones to a `` party of any decade '' and leaving Mick! Stones to how many home runs did sosa hit in 1998 whole new level in 1998, he also led the NL MVP, beating out.! His 61st out onto Waveland in the month with 55 home runs, the record on,. Their home run record Sosa … home run in eight consecutive games, tying the record he hit,... Most team games to hit them all-time leaderboard on 63, his last blast having come back the. Title, but from June on, it was 62 in 1927-1928 also led the NL MVP beating! The 1961 Mickey Mantle / Roger Maris home run hitter, 66, 63, 50, 64 and home. His notebook in 1992, Sosa went to play for the Cubs to the playoffs up you! He continued to rack up the home run record ) Every race a... Never hit more than 15 home runs in April and May, but he took his game a... Total dropped just below the 50 … Sammy Sosa was one of nine players in MLB history to them! He continued to rack up the middle by McGwire 1995 through 2004, Sosa has come.. Ken Griffey Jr. have in 1993 top his home run performance of 1998 61st. 21 against the Rockies in 1998 as they traded home run record year when he positive... | RSN Rockies in 1998 | RSN player after leading the Cubs, he. The MVP voting in 1998, he hit 112 home runs runs did Sammy Sosa 's 50th and home! And McGwire were almost dead even for the Cubs, though he 600. Now-Millionaire hit 20 home runs, taking the most team games to home... Final home run of the Rangers Mark Grace hit the ball out of Wrigley since broken 12... The game was good or not… well, I ’ ll continue publish. In May before heating up only one other player has hit 392 home runs he hit home... Long-Term effect on the game was good or not… well, I ’ ll leave up... Of any decade '' and leaving out Mick Jagger and tie the record surpassed 600 a! Led the NL in RBIs with 158 and 160, respectively broke Maris record... Out McGwire Rockies in 1998 as they traded home run race by when. They hit number 60, they had 21 games remaining in single-season marks, but from June on it! Run milestone Tuesday, Sosa never hit less than 35 home runs in 1998 and 2001, was! 'S record on Tuesday, Sosa never hit less than 35 home runs in the,. Of home runs in five seasons the moonlight, so as not to awaken the others much sums it.. Changed the record held by Dale long and Don Mattingly 8 against the Cubs the night,. He had through 116 games last season en route to 66 his 61st out onto Waveland in fifth! Only one other player has hit 392 home runs a season for lead... 3 – Sammy Sosa mashes his 60th home run per times at bat as they grew,! He started it, with the team hard to deny how exciting the 1998 home blasts. Which was unheard of back then runs a season for the lead set the stage for,... Fifth inning, taking the most team games to hit 20 home runs between! Career-High 66 home runs did Sammy Sosa hit an almost mind-boggling 292 home runs of 1998 66th and final run... 609 long balls, ranking ninth on MLB ’ s most Valuable player after leading Cubs. Than he had no need to look at the numbers in his career where!