McGwire Regains Lead With No. 64

	McGwire follows through after stroking his 64rd homer. (AP)

By Richard Justice
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 19, 1998; Page E1

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 18 – Mark McGwire's 64th home run disappeared into the cool night air so quickly that 48,194 fans barely had time to gasp. In one splendid moment, they were given exactly what they'd come to see, a bit of baseball history and a wonderful baseball memory.

Amid an atmosphere that more closely resembled Octoberfest than a late season matchup between two teams well out of contention, McGwire regained the lead in baseball's home run race. Sammy Sosa remained one behind at 63, both players taking their sport to places it has never been.

"I keep searching for words to describe it," St. Louis Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa said. "He knows they've sold tickets to see him, and he still got this ability to concentrate and take his swings. It's just amazing how he shuts everything out."

For McGwire, it was one more magical moment in a summer filled with them. He had entertained fans, including Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, with a dazzling round of pregame batting practice. He hit two balls completely out of County Stadium, bringing fans to their feet.

Those same fans booed as Brewers rookie starter Rafael Roque walked him in the first inning, then threw him two straight pitches out of the strike zone in the fourth inning.

With the count 3-1, Roque challenged McGwire with a fastball down the middle, and McGwire ripped it over the left field fence, becoming the first player in major league history to hit 64 home runs. He was cheered as he rounded the bases, and the cheering didn't stop until he stepped back from the dugout to acknowledge the ovation.

He came close to hitting two more. In the sixth inning, he lined a ball about 10 feet outside the left field foul pole before hitting a fly ball that right fielder Jeromy Burnitz ran down on the warning track. In the eighth, he hit a monstrous shot that sailed outside the left field foul pole. On the next swing, he popped up to catcher Bobby Hughes.

"I wish every player could feel what I'm feeling," McGwire said. "There's nothing better than playing baseball in front of a full house. I know a lot of fans across America are coming to watch me. At first, that was overwhelming to me. I think it stressed me out. But I accept it now, and I think the guys get excited because there's a full house."

McGwire and the Cardinals defeated the Brewers, 5-2, tonight. He has eight games remaining, including two here and the final six at home.

His life continues at a dizzying pace. Favre drove down from Green Bay this afternoon to take a round of batting practice and shake McGwire's hand. In recent days, McGwire also has had calls and letters from, among others, the prime minister of Japan and former Senator Bob Dole.

Today, he emphasized once more than finishing with more home runs than Sosa is not important.

"I don't think it really matters," McGwire said. "What we've been doing is fantastic. Does it really matter who wins? I don't think it does. What we've done hasn't been done in 37 years. I'm pretty happy with the way things have been going. Like I've been saying since day one, it comes down to getting good pitches to hit and getting a good swing. Everyone tries to analyze it. They say, 'Well, you haven't hit one in three days. What's the problem?' It just doesn't work that way. My God, enjoy it."

He recalled an incident two weeks ago in Houston when he heard young fans squealing with joy after touching him. "This is not going to change my life," he said. "It's people around me that have changed. I've already seen that. They want to touch you and say they saw you. I had people doing that in Houston. I heard, 'Oh, I touched him.' I was there two months ago, and that wasn't happening. It's weird. I'm from a family that doesn't put anyone on a pedestal."

Asked if he'd be relieved when the season ends next week, he said: "Damn right. It's not playing the game I wish was over. It's the mental grind. Over the last few years, I've realized this game is all mental. My mind is more exhausted than my body. I wish we were going to the playoffs, but it's going to be a nice winter."