While there's no getting around the fact that Mark McGwire's legacy will be tainted by the infamous steroid scandals, his run during the late '90s was undeniably impressive. In 1998 specifically, McGwire ruled the plate as he and Sammy Sosa raced to break Roger Maris's record of 61 home runs in a single season. As a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, McGwire was in the midst of putting up the best numbers of his career. He had finished the 1997 season with 58 home runs (an MLB season high), and in 1998 he made history by finally breaking Maris's record and finishing the season with a whopping 70 home runs. Although this mark was broken by Barry Bonds in 2001, it was significant at the time and helped to cement the arrival of a new generation of batters.
The following season, McGwire would reach 60 yet again. On September 26, 1999, the Cardinals met the Cincinnati Reds in a 5-7 loss. However, during the game, McGwire hit his 60th homer of the season, once again reaching a mark many players could only dream of. In fact, McGwire and Sammy Sosa are the only players in history to hit 60 or more home runs in two seasons.
During McGwire's early days in Oakland, he wore Reebok cleats, but before long was a Nike loyalist. He continued to represent the Swoosh during his infamous late '90s run and was often spotted in red-based colorways. These 1998 cleats are long gone, but you can shop Nike's current baseball lineup here.
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