View source for Mark McGwire

{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1963)}}
{{distinguish|Mark McGuire}}
{{Pp-pc}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name=Mark McGwire
| image=Mark McGwire Padres coach May 2017.jpg
| image_size=240
| caption= McGwire with the [[San Diego Padres]] in 2017
| team=
| number=
| width=250
| position=[[First baseman]]
| bats=Right
| throws=Right
| birth_date={{birth date and age|1963|10|1}}
| birth_place=[[Pomona, California]], U.S.
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate=August 22
| debutyear=1986
| debutteam=Oakland Athletics
| finalleague = MLB
| finaldate=October 7
| finalyear=2001
| finalteam=St. Louis Cardinals
| statleague = MLB
| stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
| stat1value=.263
| stat2label=[[Home run]]s
| stat2value=583
| stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
| stat3value=1,414
| teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Oakland Athletics]] ({{mlby|1986}}–{{mlby|1997}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|2001}})
'''As coach'''
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|2010}}–{{mlby|2012}})
* [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{mlby|2013}}–{{mlby|2015}})
* [[San Diego Padres]] ({{mlby|2016}}–{{mlby|2018}})
| highlights=
* 12× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1987]]–[[1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1992]], [[1995 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1995]]–[[2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2000]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1989}}, {{wsy|2011}})
* [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|AL Rookie of the Year]] (1987)
* [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove Award]] (1990)
* 3× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1992, 1996, 1998)
* 5× [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|MLB home run leader]] (1987, 1996–1999)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders|NL RBI leader]] (1999)
* [[Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award]]
* [[Athletics Hall of Fame]]
* [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum|St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame]]
* [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]
| medaltemplates=
{{Medal|Country|{{flagu|United States}}}}
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Summer Olympics]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]]|[[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[Baseball at the Pan American Games|1983 Caracas]]|[[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Intercontinental Cup (baseball)|Intercontinental Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[Intercontinental Cup (baseball)|1983 Brussels]]|[[United States national baseball team|Team]]}}
}}

'''Mark David McGwire''' (born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "'''Big Mac'''", is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[first baseman]] who played 16 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for the [[Oakland Athletics]] and the [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. He won two [[World Series]] championships, one with Oakland as a player in 1989 and one with St. Louis as a coach in 2011. One of the most prolific [[home run]] hitters in baseball history, McGwire hit 583 home runs during his career, which ranked [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders|5th-most in MLB history]] at the time of his retirement and currently ranks 11th.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark McGwire Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgwima01.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104095425/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgwima01.shtml |archive-date=January 4, 2010 |access-date=March 17, 2017 |website=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> He holds the major-league career record for [[at bats per home run]] ratio (10.6), and is the former record holder for both [[List of Major League Baseball progressive single-season home run leaders|home 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 in [[doping in baseball|baseball's steroids scandal]].

McGwire [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|led the major leagues in home runs]] in 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 .394 [[on-base percentage]] (OBP) and twice leading the major leagues in [[bases on balls]]. McGwire also led the league in [[runs batted in]] once, on-base percentage twice, and [[slugging percentage]] four times. Injuries cut short even greater potential, as he reached 140 games played in just eight of his 16 MLB 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 {{convert|6|ft|5|in|m}} tall and weighed {{convert|245|lb}} during his playing career.

With the Cardinals in 1998, McGwire joined [[Chicago Cubs|Cubs]] slugger [[Sammy Sosa]] in a [[1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase|chase for the single-season home-run record]] set by [[Roger Maris]] in 1961. McGwire surpassed Maris and finished with 70 home runs,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HR_progress.shtml |title=Progressive Leaders & Records for Home Runs |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=March 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315074551/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/HR_progress.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> a record that [[Barry Bonds]] would break three years later with 73.<ref name="Bonds-testified">{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2020 |title=Bonds testified that substances didn't work |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=1937594 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=June 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625085258/https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=1937594 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, McGwire publicly admitted to using [[performance-enhancing drugs]] during a large portion of his career.<ref name="NYTimes">{{Cite web |last=Kepner |first=Tyler |author-link=Tyler Kepner |date=January 11, 2010 |title=McGwire Admits That He Used Steroids |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/sports/baseball/12mcgwire.html?pagewanted=all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123050123/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/sports/baseball/12mcgwire.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |archive-date=January 23, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2021 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

==Early life==
McGwire was born in the [[Los Angeles]] suburb of [[Pomona, California]]. His father was a [[dentist]]. He attended [[Damien High School]] in [[La Verne, California]], where he played baseball, golf, and basketball. He was drafted in the 8th round by the [[Montreal Expos]] in the 1981 amateur draft, but did not sign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgwima01.shtml|title=Mark McGwire Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-date=January 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104095425/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgwima01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

==College career==
McGwire played [[college baseball]] at the [[University of Southern California]], where he was a teammate of [[Randy Johnson]], [[Jack Del Rio]], and [[Rodney Peete]] under coach [[Rod Dedeaux]]. McGwire was named the college baseball player of the year by ''the Sporting News'' in 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Scott |title=Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire's Years Together at USC's Baseball Factory |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2530344-randy-johnson-and-mark-mcgwires-years-together-at-uscs-baseball-factory |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en |archive-date=April 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250418150145/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2530344-randy-johnson-and-mark-mcgwires-years-together-at-uscs-baseball-factory |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Professional career==

===Draft and minor leagues===
After three years at USC and a stint on the [[Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Team squads#United States|1984 U.S. Olympic team]], McGwire was drafted tenth overall in the [[1984 Major League Baseball draft]] by the [[Oakland Athletics]]. In 1984 and 1985, he played for the [[Single-A]] [[Modesto A's]]. He began the 1986 season in the minors, with the [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] [[Huntsville Stars]] and [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[Tacoma Tigers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark McGwire Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mcgwir001mar |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Oakland Athletics (1986–1997)===
McGwire debuted in the major leagues on August 22, 1986. He did not get a hit until his third game, on August 24. In 18 games with Oakland in 1986, he hit three [[home run]]s and had nine [[runs batted in]] (RBIs), but had a lowly .189 batting average.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mark McGwire 1986 Batting Game Logs |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=mcgwima01&t=b&year=1986 |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120060524/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=mcgwima01&t=b&year=1986 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====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 the [[American League]] [[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star team]]. On August 11, he broke [[Al Rosen]]'s AL rookie record of 37 home runs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/APAB/lib00581,122CA98E1CEF7498.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708140841/http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/APAB/lib00581,122CA98E1CEF7498.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 8, 2012|date=August 10, 2008|title=Baseball Today}}</ref> Three days later, McGwire broke the major-league record of 38, which [[Frank Robinson]] and [[Wally Berger]] had jointly held. In September, McGwire hit nine more home runs while posting monthly personal bests of a .351 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], .419 [[on-base percentage]] (OBP) and 11 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]] (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 118 [[runs batted in]], a .289 batting average, 97 [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored, 28 doubles, a .618 [[slugging percentage]] and a .370 [[on-base percentage]] (OBP). McGwire's 49 home runs as a rookie stood as a major league record until [[Aaron Judge]] hit 52 for the [[New York Yankees]] in 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/yankees-aaron-judge-sets-rookie-hr-record-mark-mcgwire/xyqbr125vm8k13f1ips4sg1nl|title=Yankees' Aaron Judge breaks Mark McGwire's rookie HR record|date=September 26, 2017|work=Sporting News|access-date=December 2, 2017|archive-date=November 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130090645/http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/yankees-aaron-judge-sets-rookie-hr-record-mark-mcgwire/xyqbr125vm8k13f1ips4sg1nl|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Not only did McGwire lead the AL in home runs in 1987, but he also tied for the major-league lead with [[1987 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] right fielder [[Andre Dawson]]. McGwire also led the major leagues in slugging, finished second in the AL in adjusted [[on-base plus slugging]] percentage (OPS+, 164) and total bases (344) and placed third in RBI and on-base plus slugging (OPS, .987). He was unanimously chosen as the AL [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year Award]] and finished sixth overall in the AL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]] voting.

====More All-Star appearances (1988–1991)====
[[File:Mark McGwire 1989.jpg|thumb|left|McGwire with the A's, 1989]]

From [[1988 Oakland Athletics season|1988]] to [[1990 Oakland Athletics season|1990]], 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.<ref name="BaseballRefMain">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcgwima01.shtml |title=Mark McGwire Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=February 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228203815/http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcgwima01.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> On July 3 and 4, 1988, he hit game-winning home runs in the 16th inning of both games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198807030.shtml |title=July 3, 1988 Oakland Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays play by play and box score |website=Baseball-Reference.com |date=July 3, 1988 |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111101219/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR198807030.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE198807040.shtml |title=July 4, 1988 Oakland Athletics at Cleveland Indians Jays play by play and box score |website=Baseball-Reference.com |date=July 4, 1988 |access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> Through {{As of|2009|May|bare=y}}, McGwire was tied for third all-time with [[Joe DiMaggio]] in home runs over his first two calendar years in the major leagues (71), behind [[Chuck Klein]] (83) and [[Ryan Braun]] (79).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sandler |first=Jeremy |date=2009-05-27 |title="NL Weekly: The Notebook" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/national-post/173937082/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |work=National Post |pages=30}}</ref>

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 the [[1988 World Series]] against the [[1988 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] and former A's [[Closer (baseball)|closer]] [[Jay Howell]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK198810180.shtml |title=October 18, 1988 World Series Game 3 at Network Associates Coliseum Play by Play and Box Score |website=Baseball-Reference.com |date=October 18, 1988 |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=November 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111101233/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK198810180.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 fellow [[Bash Brothers|Bash Brother]], [[José Canseco]], played a large part in the 1989 championship club that defeated the [[1989 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]] in the famous "[[1989 World Series|Earthquake Series]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1989_WS.shtml |title=1989 World Series – OAK vs. SFG |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=November 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130235404/http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1989_WS.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

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 a [[Gold Glove Award]] in 1990, the only one that the [[New York Yankees|Yankees]]' [[Don Mattingly]] would 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. [[List of Oakland Athletics managers|Manager]] [[Tony La Russa]] sat him for the final game of the [[1991 Oakland Athletics season|season]] to avoid causing his batting average to dip below .200. Despite the declining averages during this time of his career, McGwire's high [[bases on balls|base-on-balls]] totals allowed him to maintain an acceptable on-base percentage. In fact, when he hit .201, his [[On-base plus slugging|OPS+]] was 103, just over the league average.

McGwire stated in an interview with ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' that 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.<ref>[http://www.sdccd.edu/events/we/wepdf/we-sp99.pdf] https://web.archive.org/web/20150701040841/http://www.sdccd.edu/events/we/wepdf/we-sp99.pdf</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wulf |first=Steve |date=1992-06-01 |title=Most Happy Fella |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1992/06/01/most-happy-fella-oaklands-mark-mcgwire-is-smiling-again-now-that-hes-hitting-homers-at-a-record-pace |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104193550/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/features/mcgwire/flashbacks/060192/ |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=June 24, 2020 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>

====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 the [[Home Run Derby]] during the [[1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1992 All-Star break]]. His performance propelled the [[1992 Oakland Athletics season|A's]] to the American League West Division title in 1992, their fourth in five seasons. The A's lost in the [[1992 American League Championship Series|playoffs]] to the eventual [[1992 World Series|World Series]] champion [[1992 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]].

Foot injuries limited McGwire to a total of 74 games in [[1993 Oakland Athletics season|1993]] and [[1994 Oakland Athletics season|1994]], and just nine home runs in each of the two seasons. He played just 104 games in [[1995 Oakland Athletics season|1995]], but his proportional totals were much improved, as he hit 39 home runs in 317 at-bats. In [[1996 Oakland Athletics season|1996]], 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 nine [[American League]] All-Star teams while playing for the A's, including six consecutive appearances from [[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1987]] through [[1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1992]]. On April 21, 1997, McGwire became the fourth and final player to hit a home run over the left-field roof of [[Detroit]]'s [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]], joining [[Harmon Killebrew]], [[Frank Howard (baseball)|Frank Howard]] and [[Cecil Fielder]].<ref>The Final Season, p.90, Tom Stanton, Thomas Dunne Books, An imprint of St. Martin's Press, New York, 2001, {{ISBN|0-312-29156-6}}</ref> The blast was estimated to have traveled 491 feet.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/McGwire-Has-a-Blast-in-Loss-2843682.php |title=McGwire Has a Blast in Loss |publisher=SFgate.com |first=Steve |last=Kettman |date=April 21, 1997 |access-date=September 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128101420/https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/McGwire-Has-a-Blast-in-Loss-2843682.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

===St. Louis Cardinals (1997–2001)===
On July 31, having already amassed 34 home runs in the [[1997 in baseball|1997 season]], McGwire was traded from the [[1997 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] to the [[1997 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[T. J. Mathews]], [[Eric Ludwick]] and [[Blake Stein]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/THE-BIG-DEALS-THE-A-S-McGwire-finally-traded-2831502.php|title=THE BIG DEALS / THE A'S / McGwire finally traded – to Cards|newspaper=Sfgate|date=August 1997|access-date=June 25, 2020|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627015338/https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/THE-BIG-DEALS-THE-A-S-McGwire-finally-traded-2831502.php|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 encouraged [[Jim 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|1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase}}
[[File:Mark McGwire follow-thru Piazza catching-53.jpg|thumb|left|McGwire batting during a May 1998 game]]

As the [[1998 St. Louis Cardinals season|1998 season]] progressed, it became clear that McGwire, [[1998 Seattle Mariners season|Seattle Mariners]] outfielder [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], and [[1998 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] outfielder [[Sammy Sosa]] were all on track to break [[Roger Maris]]'s single-season home run record. [[1998 Major League Baseball home run record chase|The race to break the record]] first 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.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rosenbloom|first1=Steve|date=August 20, 1998|title=GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN REINSDORF: [NORTH SPORTS FINAL Edition]|work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

On September 8, 1998, McGwire hit a pitch by the Cubs' [[Steve Trachsel]] over the left-field wall for his record-breaking 62nd home run, setting off massive celebrations at [[Busch Memorial Stadium|Busch 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/baseball/longterm/chase/articles/mac9.htm|title=McGwire Surpasses Maris With 62nd Home Run|first=Richard|last=Justice|newspaper=Washington Post|page=C1|date=September 8, 1998|access-date=June 1, 2024|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017231240/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/baseball/longterm/chase/articles/mac9.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The ball was given to McGwire in a ceremony on the field by the stadium worker who found it.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rovell |first=Darren |author-link=Darren Rovell |date=September 8, 2016 |title=The man who gave away McGwire's 62nd home run ball has no regrets |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17496912/after-18-years-tim-forneris-no-regrets-giving-away-mark-mcgwire-62nd-home-run-ball |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602011358/https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/17496912/after-18-years-tim-forneris-no-regrets-giving-away-mark-mcgwire-62nd-home-run-ball |archive-date=June 2, 2024 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |work=ESPN}}</ref>

[[File:Mark McGwire in Corvette-60 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|McGwire circling the field at [[Busch Memorial Stadium]] in a [[Chevrolet Corvette (C1)|Chevrolet Corvette]] after 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 by [[Barry Bonds]] with 73.<ref name=Bonds-testified/>

McGwire was honored with the inaugural [[Babe Ruth Home Run Award]] for leading Major League Baseball in home runs.<ref name=harber>{{cite news|last=Harber|first=Paul|title=A statue fit for a home run king|date=July 22, 2001|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8659756.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602104753/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8659756.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2011|quote=The first award was given to Mark McGwire after his 70-home-run season in 1998.}}{{subscription required}}</ref> 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 1998 [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|NL MVP award]], as his contributions helped propel the Cubs to the [[1998 National League Division Series|playoffs]] (the [[1998 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] finished 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 the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leonhardt |first1=David |author-link=David Leonhardt |date=March 30, 2005 |title=Myth of men who saved baseball |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/sports/myth-of-men-who-saved-baseball.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927112914/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/sports/myth-of-men-who-saved-baseball.html |archive-date=September 27, 2017 |access-date=September 26, 2017 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

====Later playing career (1999–2001)====
McGwire kept his high level of offensive production from 1998 going in [[1999 St. Louis Cardinals season|1999]] while 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/10/04/power-struggle-mcgwire-finishes-with-65-sosa-63/bf09193d-7a3a-4dc7-bc0a-76c67f4a8c42/|title=Power Struggle: McGwire Finishes With 65, Sosa 63|first=R.B.|last=Fallstrom|newspaper=Washington Post|date=October 3, 1999|access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref>

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 the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', was far less than he could have made in free agency.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=Phil |title=McGwire's contract breath of fresh air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114959096/mcgwires-contract-breath-of-fresh-air/ |access-date=December 21, 2022 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=March 2, 2001 |pages=45 |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221142155/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114959096/mcgwires-contract-breath-of-fresh-air/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Mark mcgwire.jpg|thumb|left|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, specifically with his knee, which lessened his bat speed. McGwire missed two months of the 2000 season with patella tendinitis while noting his appreciation for coaching.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2000/0806/672006.html|title=McGwire makes good use of time on DL|work=ESPN.com|date=August 6, 2000}}</ref> In September, he was used primarily as a pinch-hitter. He played just 89 games and had 32 home runs. In the 2000 postseason, he was used a pinch hitter for six games, where he hit one home run (his fifth and final postseason home run) and walked twice as the Cardinals lost in the NLCS. He had surgery on his right knee to deal with tendinitis immediately the 2000 season ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2000/1023/834821.html|title=Cardinals slugger McGwire undergoes knee surgery|date=October 23, 2000|work=ESPN}}</ref> McGwire returned to play spring training and Opening Day in April (less than six months since the surgery), but his knee still bothered him, and after he went 2-for-21 (.095), he was moved to the disabled list on April 18. He ended missing a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2001/0417/1174392.html|title=McGwire on DL retroactive to Monday|date=April 17, 2001|work=ESPN}}</REF> He ultimately played just 97 games that year and had 29 of his 56 hits go for home runs while batting .187. His last home run came on September 28 against Pittsburgh. In the [[2001 National League Division Series|NLDS]], McGwire had just one hit in 11 at-bats and was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the 9th inning in decisive Game 5.
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcgwima01.shtml |title=Baseball-reference.om McGwire stats |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=February 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228203815/http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mcgwima01.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

On November 11, 2001, McGwire announced his retirement, stating, "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."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/13/sports/baseball-for-mcgwire-the-end-came-prematurely.html|title=BASEBALL; For McGwire, The End Came Prematurely|first=Murray|last=Clase|work=The New York Times|date=November 13, 2001|archive-date=March 5, 2021|access-date=July 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305000851/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/13/sports/baseball-for-mcgwire-the-end-came-prematurely.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==International career==
McGwire played for the [[United States national baseball team|United States national team]] during his collegiate years. On the 1984 team, he batted .359 over 35 games.<ref>{{cite web |title=COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM HISTORY |url=https://www.usabaseball.com/team-usa/collegiate-national-team/history |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117144218/https://www.usabaseball.com/team-usa/collegiate-national-team/history |archive-date=November 17, 2023 |access-date=November 11, 2023 |website=[[USA Baseball]]}}</ref> McGwire was selected to the roster for the [[Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]] in [[Los Angeles]] that [[Baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics|same year]]. That squad, which included future Hall of Famer [[Barry Larkin]], emerged as the favorite for the competition, after [[Cuba national baseball team|Cuba]] joined the Soviet Union-led [[1984 Summer Olympics boycott|boycott]] of the games. The U.S. team won the [[silver medal]] in the tournament, with Japan winning the gold medal. McGwire finished the five-game competition batting 4-for-21 with no home runs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mark McGwire remembers baseball's Olympic boom in 1984 |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/mark-mcgwire-olympics-baseball-1984 |agency=NBC Sports |date=August 7, 2014 |access-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111150211/https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/mark-mcgwire-olympics-baseball-1984 |url-status=live }}</ref> McGwire later said of the 1984 Olympics squad: "People may not have recognized it at the time, but that was definitely a dream team."<ref>{{cite news |title=A Silver Lining : Talented '84 U.S. Baseball Team Didn't Get the Gold, but the Sport Proved to Be an International Winner |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-22-sp-4198-story.html |agency=Los Angeles Times |date=July 22, 1992 |access-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-date=November 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111151043/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-22-sp-4198-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Coaching career (2010–2018)==
[[File:Mark McGwire on June 29, 2011.jpg|220px|thumb|McGwire as coach for the [[2011 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals in 2011]]]]

After his playing career ended, McGwire demonstrated coaching ability, personally assisting players such as [[Matt Holliday]], [[Bobby Crosby]] and [[Skip Schumaker]] before accepting an official role as hitting coach with an MLB team. On October 26, 2009, Cardinals manager [[Tony La Russa]] confirmed that McGwire would become the club's fifth [[List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches|hitting coach]] of La Russa's tenure with the Cardinals, replacing [[Hal McRae]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100107&content_id=7887624&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=McGwire to speak, but date not set: Cards GM hopeful new hitting coach will appear soon |work=MLB.com |date=January 7, 2010 |access-date=January 11, 2010 |archive-date=January 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110105300/http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100107&content_id=7887624&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |url-status=dead }}</ref> McGwire received a standing ovation prior to the Cardinals' home opener on April 12, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-04-12 |title=Cards fans laud McGwire with ovation at opener |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5079064 |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=ESPN.com |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hernandez |first=Dylan |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-1103-dodgers-mark-mcgwire-20121103,0,2702730.story |title=Mark McGwire expected to be Dodgers' hitting coach |newspaper=The Los Angeles Times |date=November 2, 2012 |access-date=November 3, 2012 |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103193041/http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-1103-dodgers-mark-mcgwire-20121103,0,2702730.story |url-status=live }}</ref>

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 the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Gurnick|first=Ken|url=https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/report-mark-mcgwire-to-become-los-angeles-dodgers-hitting-coach/c-40155526|title=Report: McGwire to become Dodgers' hitting coach|work=MLB.com|date=November 2, 2012|access-date=June 24, 2020|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627142717/https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/report-mark-mcgwire-to-become-los-angeles-dodgers-hitting-coach/c-40155526|url-status=live}}</ref> in order to be closer to his wife and five children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/sports/blogs/big-league-stew/report-mark-mcgwire-close-joining-los-angeles-dodgers-221746224--mlb.html|title=Report: Mark McGwire close to joining Los Angeles Dodgers as hitting coach|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=November 2, 2012|access-date=June 24, 2020}}</ref>

On June 11, 2013, McGwire was [[Ejection (sports)|ejected]] for the first time as a coach during a [[bench-clearing brawl]] with the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]].<ref>"[http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/06/mlb-ejections-071-072-073-074-075-076.html MLB Ejections 071, 072, 073, 074, 075, 076: Clint Fagan (3–8)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801232535/http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/06/mlb-ejections-071-072-073-074-075-076.html |date=August 1, 2013 }}." ''Close Call Sports/Umpire Ejection Fantasy League''. June 12, 2013.</ref> He was suspended for two games starting the next day.

On December 2, 2015, he was named bench coach for the [[San Diego Padres]]. He left the team after the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25065289/mark-mcgwire-return-san-diego-padres-bench-coach |title=Mark McGwire not returning as Padres' coach to spend time with family |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |website=[[ESPN]] |date=October 23, 2018 |access-date=October 26, 2018 |archive-date=October 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025224728/http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25065289/mark-mcgwire-return-san-diego-padres-bench-coach |url-status=live }}</ref>

==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.<ref name="atbatto500hr">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hi500c.shtml|title=500 Home Run Details|publisher=Baseball-Almanac.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216025541/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hi500c.shtml|archive-date=February 16, 2015|access-date=February 3, 2015}}</ref> 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).<ref name="atperhr">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/ABpHR_career.shtml|title=Career Leaders & Records for at bats per home run|website=Baseball-Reference.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228202538/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/ABpHR_career.shtml|archive-date=February 28, 2009|access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref>

{{As of|2025}}, 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 14th, excluding [[Negro league baseball|Negro Leagues]] statistics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/at_bats_per_home_run_season.shtml |title=Single-season leaders & records for AB per HR |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=June 18, 2015 |archive-date=June 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628220551/http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/at_bats_per_home_run_season.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Considered one of the slowest runners in the game, McGwire hit only 6  triples, the second fewest of any player with at least 7,000 plate appearances. He had 12 stolen bases while being caught stealing eight times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Major League Leaders |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&type=0&season=2025&month=0&season1=1871&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&players=0&sortcol=8&sortdir=asc&qual=7000 |website=[[FanGraphs]]}}</ref> His 1,626 hits is the lowest for all members of the 500 home run club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/tiny/wbneh|work=Stathead|title=For combined seasons, in the regular season, requiring Home Runs >= 500, sorted by ascending Hits}}</ref>

===Honors and distinctions===
In a 1999 list of the 100 greatest baseball players, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' ranked McGwire at number 91. The list had been compiled during the [[1998 in baseball|1998 season]] and included statistics through the [[1997 in baseball|1997 season]]. That year, he was elected to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]. In 2005, ''The Sporting News'' published an update of its list with McGwire at number 84.

A five-mile stretch of [[Interstate 70 in Missouri]] in 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2010/07/06/McGwire-learning-the-art-of-coaching-as-hitting-instructor-with-the-Cardinals/stories/201007060207|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|first=J. Brady|last=McCollough|title=McGwire learning the 'art of coaching' as hitting instructor with the Cardinals|date=July 6, 2010|access-date=June 24, 2020|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627133415/https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2010/07/06/McGwire-learning-the-art-of-coaching-as-hitting-instructor-with-the-Cardinals/stories/201007060207|url-status=live}}</ref>

===National Baseball Hall of Fame consideration===
McGwire first became eligible for [[National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum|Hall of Fame]] voting 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%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2007|2007]], 128 votes (23.6%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2008|2008]], 118 votes (21.9%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2009|2009]], and 128 votes (23.7%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2010|2010]]. The [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2011|2011 ballot]] resulted in his first sub-20% total of 115 votes (19.8%), and McGwire's total votes continued to decline (112 votes (19.5%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2012|2012]], 96 votes (16.9%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2013|2013]], 63 votes (11.0%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2014|2014]] and 55 votes (10.0%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2015|2015]]) until he was eliminated after receiving 54 votes (12.3%) in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2016|2016]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2016.shtml|title=2016 Hall of Fame Voting - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-date=February 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208134659/https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2016.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

A second path for entering the Hall of Fame is through the Hall's "Era Committees" structure, formerly known as the [[Veterans Committee]], which may consider retired players whose eligibility has fallen outside of the traditional 10-year ballot period. Entry into the Hall of Fame requires a "yes" vote from 12 of the 16 committee members. McGwire was not on the [[2023 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting#Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot|ballot for Contemporary Baseball Era players in 2022]]. The next vote is scheduled for {{Update after|2025|12|text=December 2025}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Hall of Fame Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2023.shtml |access-date=2025-10-15 |website=Baseball Reference}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Era Committees |url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/rules/eras-committees |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719233759/https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/rules/eras-committees |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]]}}</ref>

===Records===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+ '''MLB and team records'''
|-
!Accomplishment
!Record
!Date(s)
!Refs
|-
! style="background:#dde;" colspan="4"| Major League Baseball records
|-
| Fewest at-bats to 500 career home runs
| style="text-align:center;"| 5,487
| style="text-align:center;"| 1999
| <ref name=atbatto500hr/>
|-
| Fewest career at bats per home run
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 10.6
| <ref name=atperhr/>
|-
| Home runs in a four-season period
| style="text-align:center;"| 245
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;"| 1996–1999
|
|-
| Consecutive 50-HR seasons
| style="text-align:center;"| 4<sup>†</sup>
|
|-
| 50-HR seasons
| style="text-align:center;"| 4<sup>††</sup>
|
|-
| Consecutive 60-HR seasons
| style="text-align:center;"| 2<sup>†</sup>
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 1998–1999
|
|-
| Home runs in a two-season period
| style="text-align:center;"| 135
|
|-
| Single-season highest RBI/H ratio
| style="text-align:center;"| 1.014
| style="text-align:center;"| 1999
|
|-
! style="background:#dde;" colspan="4"| Oakland Athletics records
|-
| Lowest career AB/HR ratio
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 12.1
|
|-
| Career HR
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 363
|
|-
| Lowest single-season AB/HR ratio
| style="text-align:center;"| 8.1
| style="text-align:center;"| 1995, 1996
|
|-
! style="background:#dde;" colspan="4"| St. Louis Cardinals records
|-
| Lowest career AB/HR ratio
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 7.9
|
|-
| Highest career OPS
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 1.222
|
|-
| Highest career OPS+
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| 180
|
|-
| Highest career SLG
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;"| .683
|
|-
| Lowest single-season AB/HR ratio
| style="text-align:center;"| 7.3
| rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | 1998
|
|-
| Most HR in a season
| style="text-align:center;"| 70
|
|-
| Most times on base in a season
| style="text-align:center;"| 320
|
|-
| Most bases on balls in a season
| style="text-align:center;"| 162
|
|}

{{Small|† – ''tied with [[Sammy Sosa]]''}}

{{Small|†† – ''tied with [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Sammy Sosa]]''}}

===Playing career totals===
In 16 seasons playing major league baseball (1986–2001), McGwire accumulated the following career totals:<ref name="BaseballRefMain" />

{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
* [[Games played|G]] 1,874
* [[At bat|ABs]] 6,187
* [[Run (baseball)|Runs]] 1,167
* [[Hit (baseball)|Hits]] 1,626
* [[Double (baseball)|Doubles]] 252
* [[Triple (baseball)|Triples]] 6
* [[Home run|HR]] 583
* [[Runs batted in|RBI]] 1,414
* [[Grounded into double play|GIDP]] 147
* [[Base on balls|BB]] 1,317
* [[Intentional Walk|IBB]] 150
{{col-break|gap=3em}}
* [[Hit by pitch|HBP]] 75
* [[Sacrifice bunt|SH]] 3
* [[Sacrifice fly|SF]] 78
* [[Strikeout]]s 1,596
* [[Stolen base|SBs]] 12
* [[Caught stealing|CS]] 8
* [[Batting average (baseball)|BA]] .263
* [[On-base percentage|OBP]] .394
* [[Slugging percentage|SLG]] .588
* [[On-base plus slugging|OPS]] .982
* [[OPS+#Adjusted OPS (OPS+)|OPS+]] 162
{{col-end}}

==Steroid use==
In a 1998 article by [[Associated Press]] writer [[Steve Wilstein]], McGwire admitted to taking [[androstenedione]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Who Knew? |work=ESPN.com |date=September 11, 2005 |access-date=December 22, 2010 |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?num=8&page=steroids&redirected=true |archive-date=May 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514010101/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=steroids&num=8 |url-status=live }}</ref> an over-the-counter muscle enhancement product that had already been banned by the [[National Football League|NFL]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sports Section Wiggins suspended for 'andro' use; police conclude Allen investigation |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/1998/09/01/the-sports-section-wiggins-suspended-for-andro-use-police-conclude-allen-investigation/26524594007/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US |archive-date=February 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203232455/https://www.theledger.com/story/news/1998/09/01/the-sports-section-wiggins-suspended-for-andro-use-police-conclude-allen-investigation/26524594007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1998-08-21 |title=Controversial Pill Part Of Mac's Diet |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/controversial-pill-part-of-macs-diet/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=CBS News}}</ref> and the [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]];<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book | vauthors = Reents S | title = Sport and Exercise Pharmacology | date = 2000 | publisher = Human Kinetics | location =Champaign, Ill. | isbn = 978-0-87322-937-1 }}</ref> however, use of the substance was not prohibited by [[Major League Baseball]] at the time, and it was not federally classified as an anabolic steroid in the United States until 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:s2195enr.txt.pdf |title=WAIS Document Retrieval |access-date=July 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725235620/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills |archive-date=July 25, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Jose Canseco]] released 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 the [[House Government Reform Committee]]. In a tearful opening statement, McGwire said:

{{Blockquote|Asking me or any other player to answer questions about who took [[steroids]] in 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&nbsp;... 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.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/17/steroids.baseball/ | work=CNN | date=March 18, 2005 | access-date=May 12, 2010 | title=CNN.com | archive-date=February 2, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202030411/http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/17/steroids.baseball/ | url-status=live }}</ref>}}

On January 11, 2010, in an interview with [[Bob Costas]], McGwire admitted to [[Banned substances in baseball in the United States|using steroids]] on 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."<ref name="ESPNAdmission">{{Cite web |last=Weinbaum |first=Willie |date=January 11, 2010 |title=McGwire comes clean, admits steroids use |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123210850/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607 |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |access-date=June 25, 2020 |website=[[ESPN]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4849158|title=Dealer: McGwire wanted to be 'bigger'|work=ESPN.com|date=January 22, 2010|access-date=June 24, 2020|archive-date=June 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627021634/https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=4849158|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name="NYTimes" />

Despite his admission of steroid use, McGwire was criticized for refusing to acknowledge that his record-setting home run output in the late 1990s was aided by steroids.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/commentary/news/story?id=4818450|title=McGwire still not taking responsibility|work=ESPN.com|first=Tim|last=Keown|date=January 12, 2010|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> Bob Costas said he was "surprised" that although he gave McGwire multiple opportunities to do so, McGwire was never able to make this admission.<ref name="GBens">{{cite web |last1=Bensinger |first1=Graham |title=Bob Costas: Mark McGwire's steroids admission omission |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_oKXzO8Qg |website=youtube.com |publisher=grahambensinger.com |language=en |format=video |date=February 23, 2022 |access-date=May 12, 2025 |archive-date=June 19, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619054857/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_oKXzO8Qg |url-status=live }}</ref> Costas said:

{{Blockquote|I kept trying to gently suggest that, couldn't you see that even though you were a powerful hitter...couldn't you see that you were even better than you had been? Couldn't you see the cluster of Sammy Sosa seasons, Barry Bonds seasons, guys with 18 home runs all of a sudden hitting 45 home runs, can't you see a correlation here?  And he could never acknowledge it. I don't think he's being consciously dishonest, I think he's convinced that that is the truth [that he would have hit the same number of home runs with or without steroids]. But at least he's acknowledged something [taking steroids].  Almost nobody else has acknowledged it.<ref name="GBens" />}}

==Personal life==
McGwire's brother [[Dan McGwire]] was a [[quarterback]] for the [[Seattle Seahawks]] and [[Miami Dolphins]] of the [[National Football League|NFL]] in the early 1990s and was a first-round draft pick out of [[San Diego State University]]. He has another brother, Jay McGwire, a bodybuilder, who wrote a book in 2010 detailing their shared steroid use.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McGwire |first=Jay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oaUwQAAACAAJ |title=Mark and Me: Mark Mcgwire and the Truth Behind Baseball's Worst-Kept Secret |date=2010 |publisher=Triumph Books |isbn=978-1-60078-308-1 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fish |first=Mike |date=February 24, 2010 |title=Book: McGwire's brother shares steroids secrets |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=4941099 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927000036/http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=4941099 |archive-date=September 27, 2017 |access-date=May 27, 2017 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

McGwire married Stephanie Slemera, a former [[pharmaceutical sales representative]] from the St. Louis area, in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] on 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 the [[Chicago Cubs]] in the eighth round of the [[2022 MLB draft]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34264653/mason-mcgwire-son-former-st-louis-cardinals-slugger-mark-mcgwire-drafted-8th-round-chicago-cubs | title=Cubs draft son of ex-Cards slugger Mark McGwire | date=July 19, 2022 | access-date=July 19, 2022 | archive-date=July 19, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719013447/https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34264653/mason-mcgwire-son-former-st-louis-cardinals-slugger-mark-mcgwire-drafted-8th-round-chicago-cubs | url-status=live }}</ref> They reside in a [[gated community]] in Shady Canyon, [[Irvine, California]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Ryon|first=Ruth|title=A Moorish fantasy in Irvine's Shady Canyon|work=Los Angeles Times|date=March 2, 2008|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-re-home2mar02,1,3528751.story|access-date=May 19, 2008|archive-date=May 5, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505072427/http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-re-home2mar02,1,3528751.story|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 from 1984 to 1990 that ended in divorce.

Prior to admitting to using steroids, McGwire avoided the media and spent much of his free time playing golf.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/eticket/story?lid=tab1pos1&lpos=spotlight&page=mcgwire&redirected=true |title=ESPN.com – E-Ticket: Fading Away |publisher=[[ESPN]] |access-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107100935/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=mcgwire&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also worked as a hitting coach for major league players [[Matt Holliday]], [[Bobby Crosby]], [[Chris Duncan]], and [[Skip Schumaker]].<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3976320 McGwire Talks About Teaching Hitting] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101080529/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3976320 |date=January 1, 2016 }}  ESPN.com, March 13, 2009</ref>

McGwire appeared as himself in season 7, episode 13 of the TV show ''[[Mad About You]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638994/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_8 |title=Mad About You—IMDB listing |date=February 22, 1999 |website=imdb.com |publisher=Internet Movie Database |access-date=February 20, 2015 |archive-date=August 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815114026/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638994/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_8 |url-status=live }}</ref> McGwire provided his voice for a 1999 episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' titled "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", where he played himself.<ref name="u269">{{cite web | last=Castleman | first=Max | title=I Can't Promise I'll Try, But I'll Try to Try: Reviewing the Past 20 Years of the Simpsons | website=Medium | date=2021-03-23 | url=https://medium.com/i-cant-promise-i-ll-try-but-i-ll-try-to-try/brothers-little-helper-a-new-side-of-bart-526e1cf5c380 | access-date=2024-07-29}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles|Biography|Baseball|Olympics}}
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[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]]
* [[List of most valuable celebrity memorabilia]]
{{div col end}}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Lupica|first=Mike|year=1999|title=Summer of '98: When Homers Flew, Records Fell, and Baseball Reclaimed America |location=Chicago|publisher=Contemporary Books|title-link=Summer of '98}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Sports links}}

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{{navboxes
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McGwire, Mark}}
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