Flashback #41: Sosa Hits 66 HRs (1998)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

September 29, 1998 - Sammy Sosa hits 62 home runs

Coming into the 1998 season, Roger Maris' record of 61 home runs in a season was a bit of an afterthought.

After all, the record had stood for almost 37 seasons and it didn't look as though it would be broken any time soon.

That's when sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa stepped in. McGwire and Sosa put together one of the most exciting record-breaking chases in baseball history as they hunted down Maris' historic record.

While McGwire got off to a hot start early, Sosa's bat took some time to warm up. In April, he hit just six bombs, and it May, only seven.

Heading into the month of June, it was McGwire whom people thought had an outside chance at Maris' record. On June 1, McGwire had 27 homers to Sosa's 13, but that's when Sosa turned it on.

The 29-year-old right fielder hit a record-breaking 20 home runs during the month of June to climb right back into the race with McGwire.

McGwire and Sosa remained competitive entering August, when McGwire would go into an eight-game homerless slump. On August 19, however, he returned to form, hitting two home runs and beginning a stretch that would see him hit 23 home runs in the final 39 games of the season.

By the end of August, both Sosa and McGwire had hit 55 home runs with one month to go.

On September 7, McGwire hit did what no other player had done since 1961 when he belted his 61st home run.

The next very day in a game against Sosa's Cubs and with members of the Maris family in attendance, McGwire hit a pitch 341 feet - his shortest home run of the season - just over the left field wall, breaking the record for the most home runs ever hit in a single season.

Ultimately, McGwire finished the season with 70 home runs, while Sosa finished with 66.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »