KING OF SWING

A closer look at the special numbers behind Mark McGwire’s special season:

HOME RUN COUNT

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No. Date Against pitcher, team Result 1 March 31 R. Martinez, Dodgers W, 6-0 2 April 2 Lankford, Dodgers W, 8-5 3 April 3 Langston, San Diego L, 13-5 4 April 4 Wengert, San Diego W, 8-6 5/6/7 April 14 Suppan (2), Manuel, Arizona W, 15-5 8 April 17 Whiteside, Philadelphia W, 8-5 9 April 21 T. Moore, Montreal W, 5-3 10 April 25 Spradlin, Philadelphia W, 8-5 11 April 30 Pisciotta, Chicago Cubs L, 8-3 12 May 1 Beck, Chicago Cubs L, 6-5 13 May 8 R. Reed, New York Mets L, 9-2 14 May 12 Wagner, Milwaukee W, 6-5 15 May 14 Millwood, Atlanta L, 7-3 16 May 16 L. Hernandez, Florida W, 5-4 17 May 18 J. Sanchez, Florida L, 7-3 18/19/20 May 19 Green (2), Gomes, Philadelphia W, 10-8 21 May 22 Gardner, San Francisco W, 4-3 22/23 May 23 R. Rodriguez, Johnstone, San Francisco W, 11-10 24 May 24 Nen, San Francisco L, 9-6 25 May 25 J. Thomson, Colorado L, 6-1 26 May 29 Miceli, San Diego W, 8-3 27 May 30 Ashby, San Diego L, 3-2 28 June 5 Hershiser, San Francisco L, 3-2 29 June 8 Bere, Chicago White Sox L, 8-6 30 June 10 Parque, Chicago White Sox L, 10-8 31 June 12 Benes, Arizona W, 9-4 32 June 17 Lima, Houston L, 6-5 33 June 18 Reynolds, Houston W, 7-6 34 June 24 Wright, Cleveland L, 14-3 35 June 25 Burba, Cleveland L, 8-2 36 June 27 Trombley, Minnesota W, 7-2 37 June 30 Rusch, Kansas City L, 6-1 38 July 11 Wagner, Houston W, 4-3 39/40 July 12 Bergman, Elarton, Houston W, 6-4 41/42 July 17 Bohanon, Osuna, Dodgers W, 4-1 43 July 20 Boehringer, San Diego W, 13-1 44 July 26 J. Thomson, Colorado W, 3-1 45 July 28 Myers, Milwaukee L, 13-10 46 Aug. 8 Clark, Chicago Cubs W, 9-8 47 Aug. 11 B. Jones, New York Mets L, 8-3 48/49 Aug. 19 Karchner, Mulholland, Chicago Cubs W, 8-6 50 Aug. 20 Blair, New York Mets, (Game 1) W, 2-0 51 Aug. 20 Reed, New York Mets, (Game 2) L, 5-4 52 Aug. 22 Cordova, Pittsburgh L, 14-4 53 Aug. 23 Rincon, Pittsburgh L, 4-3 54 Aug. 26 Speier, Florida L, 7-6 55 Aug. 30 Martinez, Atlanta W, 7-6 56/57 Sept. 1 L. Hernandez, Pall, Atlanta W, 7-1 58/59 Sept. 2 Edmondson, Stanifer, Florida W, 14-4 60 Sept. 5 Reyes, Cincinnati W, 7-0 61 Sept. 7 Morgan, Chicago Cubs W, 3-2 62 Sept. 8 Trachsel, Chicago Cubs W, 6-3

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HOME RUN BY DISTANCE

300-349: 6

350-399: 15

400-449: 18

450-499: 19

500+: 4

HOW McGWIRE DOES IT

McGwire starts with front elbow down, in and bent, bringing the front shoulder forward. Bat relatively vertical, not wrapped around head. Knees bent slightly, putting him on balls of feet.

1. SWING GOES INTO MOTION: Head, hands remain still. Hands cock before pitch released. Left knee presses in slightly, forcing hips back a quarter turn.

2. THE PIVOT: First stage of hip rotation brings elbow back into position. Full pivot of back foot drives open hips and quickly throws barrel of bat forward.

3. CONTACT: All motion in hands, arms and bat head toward ball. Back knee is almost 90 degrees, and back foot is pushing back on ball of foot.

4. FOLLOW THROUGH: Hips wide open, with belly button facing pitcher. Bat is slightly angled, achieving at least 90 mph at impact.

HOME RUN BREAKDOWN

vs. Left-handed pitchers: 12

vs. Right-handed pitchers: 50

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Home: 32

Away: 30

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With O out: 20

With 1 out: 19

With 2 out: 23

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0-0 count: 9

0-1 count: 5

0-2 count: 4

1-0 count: 8

1-1 count: 7

1-2 count: 6

2-0 count: 5

2-1 count: 7

2-2 count: 8

3-0 count: 0

3-1 count: 1

3-2 count: 2

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On grass: 52

On turf: 10

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Day: 17

Night: 45

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Innings 1-6: 39

7th inning on: 23

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vs. White Sox: 2

vs. Cleveland: 2

vs. Kansas City: 1

vs. Milwaukee: 2

vs. Minnesota: 1

vs. Atlanta: 2

vs. Cubs: 7

vs. Dodgers: 4

vs. Montreal: 1

vs. Cincinnati: 1

vs. Mets: 4

vs. Phila.: 5

vs. Pittsburgh: 2

vs. San Diego: 5

vs. San Fran.: 5

vs. Colorado: 2

vs. Florida: 7

vs. Arizona: 4

vs. Houston: 5

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Before All-Star game: 37

After All-Star game: 25

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Bases empty: 30

With one on: 23

With 2 on: 7

Grand slam: 2

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On Sunday: 7

Monday: 5

Tuesday: 15

Wednesday: 8

Thursday: 7

Friday: 9

Saturday: 11

PERSONAL STATS

Ruth

Age: 32

Ht.: 6-2

Wt.: 215

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McGwire

Age: 34

Ht.: 6-5

Wt.: 230

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Maris

Age: 27

Ht.: 6-0

Wt.: 197

HOME RUNS BY MONTH

March: 1

April: 10

May: 16

June: 10

July: 8

August: 10

September: 7

BATTING AVERAGE

Ruth

League: .285

Player: .356

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Maris

League: .256

Player: .269

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McGwire

League: .262

Player: .297

BASES ON BALLS

Ruth: 138 (9 intentional)

Maris: 94 (0 intentional)

McGwire: 149 (28 intentional)

LEAGUE ERA

1927: 4.12

1961: 4.02

1998: 4.24

BABE RUTH

154 games: 60

Home: 28

Away: 32

Note: Breakdown by field unavailable.

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BABE RUTH

154 games: 60

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HR BA CF EARLE COMBS 6 .356 SS MARK KOENIG 3 .285 RF BABE RUTH 60 .356 1B LOU GEHRIG 47 .373 2B TONY LAZZERI 18 .309 LF BOB MEUSEL 8 .337 3B JOE DUGAN 2 .269 C PAT COLLINS 7 .275 P PITCHER

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ROGER MARIS

163 games*: 61

Home: 31

Away: 30

Left: 2

Center: 13

Right: 46

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HR BA 2B BOBBY RICHARDSON 3 .261 SS TONY KUBEK 8 .276 RF ROGER MARIS 61 .296 CF MICKEY MANTLE 54 .317 LF YOGI BERRA 22 .271 1B BILL SKOWRON 28 .267 C JOHNNY BLANCHARD 21 .305 3B CLETE BOYER 11 .224 p PITCHER

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MARK McGWIRE

145 games*: 62

Home: 32

Away: 30

Left: 45

Center: 13

Right: 4

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HR BA 2B DELINO DESHIELDS 6 .299 RF BRIAN JORDAN 23 .315 1B MARK McGWIRE 62 .297 CF RAY LANKFORD 27 .287 LF RON GANT 23 .232 3B FERNANDO TATIS 5 .274 C ELI MARRERO 4 .267 SS PLACIDO POLANCO 1 .275

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*includes tie game not reflected in standings.

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Researched by HOUSTON MITCHELL / Los Angeles Times