An Oakland A’s rookie emerges as MLB’s newest power threat, setting a single-season record along the way
On August 14th, 1987, Oakland’s Mark McGwire set the Major League record for most home runs by a rookie at 39… en route to a whopping 49 for the year. He would go on to also capture the American League Rookie of the Year Award for his prodigious power.
McGwire would go on to bash a total of 583 homers in his career. But he is probably best remembered for his time with the Cardinals – and his amazing home run race in 1998 with Cubs star Sammy Sosa, as the two battled it out to see who could break Roger Maris’ single-season record of 61.
McGwire would prevail, setting a new mark of 70, which Barry Bonds would later pass by hitting 73. Of course, those marks have an asterisk beside them in the minds of many fans, due to having taken place in the midst of MLB’s ‘steroid era’.
The Sidearmer 