Mark McGwire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark McGwire
McGwire with the San Diego Padres in 2017
First baseman
Born: (1963-10-01) October 1, 1963 (age 61) Pomona, California, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
August 22, 1986, for the Oakland Athletics
Last 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 Series champion (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 Representing  United States Men's Baseball Summer Olympics Silver 1984 Los Angeles Team Pan American Games Bronze 1983 Caracas Team Intercontinental Cup Silver 1983 Brussels Team

Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963), also known as "Big Mac", is a famous American former professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman for 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001. He played for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals.

McGwire won two World Series championships. He won one as a player with the Oakland Athletics in 1989. He won another as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. He was one of the best home run hitters in baseball history. He hit 583 home runs during his career. This was the 5th most in MLB history when he retired. Today, it ranks 11th. He holds the major-league record for hitting a home run most often, with one home run every 10.6 at-bats. He also used to hold the record for most home runs in a single season (70 in 1998). He also set the record for most home runs hit by a rookie (49 in 1987).

McGwire led the major leagues in home runs in five different seasons. He also set a record by hitting 245 home runs in a four-season period from 1996 to 1999. He was a patient batter, meaning he waited for good pitches. This helped him get on base often. He led the major leagues in bases on balls (walks) twice. McGwire also led the league in runs batted in (RBI) once. He led in on-base percentage (how often a player gets on base) twice. He also led in slugging percentage (how many bases a player gets per at-bat) four times. Injuries limited his playing time. He played 140 games or more in only eight of his 16 MLB seasons. Injuries in 2000 and 2001 led to his decision to retire. McGwire was a right-handed batter and thrower. He was 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall and weighed 245 pounds (111 kg) during his playing career.

In 1998, McGwire played for the Cardinals. He and Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa had an exciting race to break the single-season home run record. This record was set by Roger Maris in 1961. McGwire broke Maris's record and finished the season with 70 home runs. This record was later broken by Barry Bonds three years later, who hit 73.

Early Life and College Baseball

Mark McGwire was born in Pomona, California. This is a suburb of Los Angeles. His father was a dentist. Mark went to Damien High School in La Verne, California. There, he played baseball, golf, and basketball. The Montreal Expos drafted him in 1981. However, he decided not to sign with them.

McGwire played college baseball at the University of Southern California. He was teammates with future famous players like Randy Johnson. His coach was Rod Dedeaux. The Oakland Athletics chose McGwire as the 10th overall pick in the 1984 Major League Baseball draft.

Professional Baseball Career

Starting in the Minor Leagues

After three years at USC, McGwire played for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team. Then, the Oakland Athletics drafted him in 1984. He started his professional career in the minor leagues.

Playing for the Oakland Athletics (1986–1997)

McGwire made his debut in the major leagues in August 1986. He hit three home runs and had nine runs batted in in 18 games.

Rookie Home Run Record (1987)

In 1987, McGwire became a star because of his home run hitting. He hit 15 home runs in May and nine in June. Before the All-Star break, he had already hit 33 home runs. This earned him a spot on the American League All-Star team.

On August 11, he broke the American League rookie record of 37 home runs. Three days later, McGwire broke the major-league record of 38 home runs. This record was held by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger. In September, McGwire hit nine more home runs. He also had a great batting average of .351 that month. He finished the season with 49 home runs. He also had 118 runs batted in and a .289 batting average. McGwire's 49 home runs as a rookie was a major league record until 2017.

McGwire with the A's in 1989

McGwire led the American League in home runs in 1987. He also tied for the major-league lead with Chicago Cubs player Andre Dawson. McGwire was chosen as the American League Rookie of the Year.

All-Star Years (1988–1991)

From 1988 to 1990, McGwire hit 32, 33, and 39 home runs. He was the first player to hit 30 or more home runs in each of his first four full seasons. In 1988, he hit game-winning home runs in extra innings on two days in a row.

One of his most famous home runs with the A's was in the 1988 World Series. He hit a game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Game 3. The A's lost that World Series. However, McGwire and his teammate José Canseco, known as the "Bash Brothers," helped the A's win the 1989 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. This series is famous for being interrupted by an earthquake.

McGwire worked hard on his defense at first base. He was considered a good fielder in his early years. He even won a Gold Glove Award in 1990. This award is given to the best defensive players. His batting average dropped from 1988 to 1990. In 1991, it was .201. Despite this, he still got on base often because he drew many walks. McGwire said 1991 was the "worst year" of his life. After that, he worked out harder and improved his vision training.

Career Comeback (1992–1997)

In 1992, McGwire hit 42 home runs and batted .268. He also won the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break. His great performance helped the A's win their division title in 1992. The A's lost in the playoffs to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Injuries to his feet limited McGwire to playing only 74 games in 1993 and 1994. He hit only nine home runs in each of those seasons. In 1995, he played 104 games and hit 39 home runs. In 1996, McGwire led the major leagues with 52 home runs. He also had a career-high batting average of .312.

McGwire hit 363 home runs with the Athletics. This was a new record for the team. He was chosen for nine American League All-Star teams while playing for the A's. On April 21, 1997, McGwire hit a home run that went over the left-field roof of Detroit's Tiger Stadium. It was estimated to have traveled 491 feet.

Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (1997–2001)

On July 31, 1997, McGwire was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the St. Louis Cardinals. He had already hit 34 home runs that season. In 51 games with the Cardinals, McGwire hit 24 home runs. Overall in 1997, McGwire led the majors with 58 home runs. He decided to sign a contract to stay in St. Louis.

The Great Home Run Race (1998)

McGwire batting during a May 1998 game

In the 1998 season, McGwire, Seattle Mariners player Ken Griffey Jr., and Chicago Cubs player Sammy Sosa were all trying to break Roger Maris's single-season home run record. The race to break the record was very exciting. The home run leader changed often throughout the season.

On September 8, 1998, McGwire hit his record-breaking 62nd home run. It was a pitch from the Cubs' Steve Trachsel. The ball went over the left-field wall at Busch Stadium. There were huge celebrations! Since the game was against the Cubs, Sammy Sosa was able to congratulate McGwire. Members of Roger Maris's family were also there.

McGwire circling the field at Busch Memorial Stadium in a Chevrolet Corvette after hitting his 62nd home run of the season.

McGwire finished the 1998 season with 70 home runs. This was four more than Sosa's 66. This record was broken three seasons later in 2001 by Barry Bonds, who hit 73.

McGwire received the first Babe Ruth Home Run Award for leading MLB in home runs. Even though McGwire set the home run record, Sammy Sosa won the 1998 NL MVP award. Many people said the Sosa-McGwire home run chase in 1998 "saved baseball." It brought new, younger fans to the sport and brought back older fans.

Later Playing Years (1999–2001)

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

McGwire continued his strong hitting in 1999. He led MLB in home runs for the fourth year in a row with 65. It was also his fourth straight season with at least 50 home runs, which extended his own major league record. Sosa, who hit 63 home runs in 1999, again trailed McGwire. They became the first players in history to hit 60 or more home runs in two seasons in a row. McGwire also set a record for most home runs in a two-season period (135 from 1998 to 1999). From 1996 to 1999, he hit 245 home runs, the highest four-season total ever. In 1999, he led the National League with 147 runs batted in.

After the 1999 season, McGwire signed an extension with the Cardinals through the 2004 season. However, in 2000 and 2001, McGwire's performance dropped. He struggled with injuries. He hit 32 home runs in 89 games in 2000 and 29 in 97 games in 2001. He decided to retire after the 2001 season.

International Baseball

McGwire played for the United States national team when he was in college. In 1984, he played in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The U.S. team won the silver medal in the tournament. Japan won the gold medal. McGwire later said that the 1984 Olympic team was "definitely a dream team."

Coaching Career (2010–2018)

McGwire as coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011

After he stopped playing, McGwire showed he was good at coaching. He helped players like Matt Holliday improve their hitting. In 2009, he became the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. When he returned to the Cardinals' home field in 2010, fans gave him a standing ovation. During his three seasons as hitting coach, the Cardinals' offense was one of the best in the National League.

In 2012, McGwire decided not to return as the Cardinals' hitting coach. Instead, he became the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He wanted to be closer to his family. In 2013, McGwire was ejected from a game for the first time as a coach during a fight between teams. He was suspended for two games. In 2015, he became the bench coach for the San Diego Padres. He left the team after the 2018 season.

Honors and Records

Mark McGwire was one of the best power hitters of his time. He finished his career with 583 home runs. This was the fifth most in history when he retired. When he hit his 500th career home run in 1999, he did it in the fewest at-bats (5,487) in major league history. He led all of MLB in home runs in five different seasons: 1987 and from 1996 to 1999. His 245 home runs from 1996 to 1999 is the highest four-season home run total in major league history. He was the first player to hit more than 50 home runs in four different seasons. He was also the first player to hit 49 or more home runs five times. This includes his rookie record of 49 in 1987. He holds the MLB record for most home runs per at-bat, hitting one every 10.61 at-bats.

McGwire was known as one of the slowest runners in baseball. He had the fewest career triples (six) of any player with 5,000 or more at-bats. He also stole only 12 bases in his career.

Awards and Recognition

In 1999, The Sporting News ranked McGwire at number 91 on their list of the 100 greatest baseball players. That year, he was also chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2005, The Sporting News updated its list, and McGwire was ranked at number 84.

A five-mile part of Interstate 70 in Missouri near Busch Stadium in St. Louis was named Mark McGwire Highway. This was to honor his 70-home-run achievement and his good work for the city. In 2010, the name was changed to Mark Twain Highway.

Baseball Hall of Fame

McGwire became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2007. To be elected, a player needs 75% of the votes. McGwire's votes stayed around 20-23% for several years. His votes continued to drop, and he was removed from consideration in 2016.

Records and Achievements

† – tied with Sammy Sosa †† – tied with Babe Ruth and Sammy Sosa

Career Statistics

In his 16 seasons playing major league baseball (1986–2001), McGwire had these career totals:

Personal Life

Mark McGwire's brother, Dan McGwire, was a quarterback in the NFL. He played for the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins. Mark also has another brother, Jay McGwire.

Mark McGwire married Stephanie Slemer in Las Vegas in 2002. They have triplet daughters: Monet Rose, Marlo Rose, and Monroe Rose, born in 2010. Mark also has two sons, Max and Mason. Mason was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2022 MLB draft. The family lives in Irvine, California. Mark and Stephanie created the Mark McGwire Foundation for Children. Mark also has a son, Matthew (born 1987), from a previous marriage.

McGwire appeared as himself in an episode of the TV show Mad About You. He also provided his voice for an episode of The Simpsons in 1999, where he played himself.

Images for kids

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  McGwire with the San Diego Padres in 2017

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  McGwire with the A's in 1989

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  McGwire batting during a May 1998 game

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  McGwire circling the field at Busch Memorial Stadium after hitting his 62nd home run of the season.

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

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  McGwire as coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011

See also

In Spanish: Mark McGwire para niños