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Most Valuable Intel: 1998 Home Run Chase Edition
This 1998 Home Run Edition of the Most Valuable Content discusses the Sosa-McGwire HR Chase, MLB players and events that deserve a documentary, and more!
Leon Algee/AP Images
some of the hottest sports content recently provide major insights and takeaways about the 1998 Home Run Race, including Sammy Sosa’s sensational month of June and MLB players who deserve their own documentary. Here’s the Most Valuable Intel to know from the best articles in sports.
FULL ARTICLE: The McGwire-Sosa Home Run Chase Helped Make 1998 One of MLB’s Wildest Seasons Ever by David Schoenfield, ESPN
HOT: The 1998 MLB Season was 1 of the Best Ever by @dschoenfield
https://t.co/ENt4V7WfD7
— Hottest Sports Content (@Sports_Hottest) June 15, 2020
MOST VALUABLE INTEL: 1998 Home Run chase was one of the most exciting events in SPORTS history
The 1998 MLB regular season included the incredible home run chase between Cubs OF Sammy Sosa and Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire. Before the season began, it was clear that Roger Maris’ all-time single-season HR record (61) was in danger. Baseball fans watched the slugfest between Sosa, McGwire, and Griffey in awe as they realized that Maris’ record would not only be broken, but absolutely shattered.
For the first time in big league history, four players reached the 30-HR mark at the All-Star break: McGwire (37), Griffey (35), Sosa (33), and Padres OF Greg Vaughn (30). The month of July was the final period of the absurdly close race, as McGwire and Sosa were tied at 55 with Griffey sitting eight HRs behind in third place by the end of August. Described by ESPN’s David Schoenfield, the entirety of the ’98 Home Run Chase played an integral part in making the 1998 season one of the most entertaining ever. Not just in baseball history, but in sports history.
FULL ARTICLE: The Best in Sports: 1998 Home Run Edition by Rob Mason, Pro Sports Outlook
Mark McGwire & Sammy Sosa put on a show for the ages in 1998 that was recently featured in the ‘Long Gone Summer’ documentary. Here are the best things to know about the summer that changed sports forever
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) June 17, 2020
MOST VALUABLE INTEL: Steroids were perceived completely different in the ’90s
In today’s world, steroids and cheating are complete synonyms, however it wasn’t that simple back in 1998. As Pro Sports Outlook’s Rob Mason examines the biggest takeaways from the Long Summer doc, it’s clear that an unavoidable theme to the 1998 Home Run chase was the prevalence of steroids and the impact it had on this exhilarating event.
Back in 1998, performance-enhancing supplements were common around the game as there were no rules or regulations about testing players to prevent the use of these recently-developed drugs. Because of the common use of these supplements around the game, many players in the clubhouse felt that they’re letting everyone else on the team down if they weren’t willing to take performance-enhancing drugs to help the team win. The grey area with this issue became evident throughout this documentary as a dark cloud still hangs over that era of baseball to this day.
FULL ARTICLE: MLB Players and Stories That Need Their Own Documentaries by Jacob Shafer, Bleacher Report
HOT: MLB Players & Stories That Need Their Own Documentary by @Jacobshafer ⬇️ https://t.co/PIpeyzmAgy
— Hottest Sports Content (@Sports_Hottest) June 15, 2020
MOST VALUABLE INTEL: A-Rod’s history with PEDs could be the centerpiece for next big sports doc
The wide-spread popularity of Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance” documentary has inspired interest in the backstories behind pro sports stars more than ever. In the baseball world, however, there’s not one obvious player who equates to MJ’s legacy. Jacob Shafer of Bleacher Report acknowledges eight ballplayers and narratives from the past 40 years that are deserving of their own documentary.
Alex Rodriguez easily makes the list due to his polarizing persona as one of baseball’s all-time greats, but one who may never get enshrined in the HOF due to his career’s controversy. With his performance-enhancing drug issue being the central focal point, his interesting relationships with Jennifer Lopez and past teammate Derek Jeter would both be fascinating subplots for the film. Rounding out B/R’s list are other potential MLB players and events for the next ground-breaking sports documentary.
FULL ARTICLE: How Sammy Sosa’s Historic June Turned the 1998 Home Run Race into a Two-Slugger Derby by Matt Snyder, CBS Sports
HOT: How Sammy Sosa Turned 1998 into a Slugfest by @MattSnyderCBS ⬇️ https://t.co/j99V15C7gV
— Hottest Sports Content (@Sports_Hottest) June 15, 2020
MOST VALUABLE INTEL: Nobody expected Sosa to be a HR champ contender before 1998
The next bold sports documentary is ESPN’s “Long Gone Summer”, which will reminisce about the unbelievable Home Run Chase of 1998. Prior to the start of the ’98 MLB season, most fans expected Roger Maris’ single-season HR record to be surpassed by McGwire (58 HRs in ’97) and/or Griffey (56 HRs in ’97). What made the HR Chase so special was that no one expected Sosa to erupt in the 1998 season, since he wasn’t among the 12 players who had 40 or more dingers in the previous campaign.
Slammin’ Sammy did not only keep up with McGwire throughout the season, but he had one of the best HR months in baseball history in June of 1998. The spectacular streak of 21 bombs in a 22-game span will always be remembered as one of the MLB’s greatest all-time achievements. Matt Snyder at CBS Sports further discusses Sosa’s surreal slugging and how he matched up with Big Mac in the 1998 arms race.
FULL ARTICLE: What You Need to Know About Sosa-McGwire Home Run Chase Before Watching ‘Long Gone Summer’ by David Schoenfield, ESPN
HOT: What to Know About the 1998 Home Run Chase by @dschoenfield
— Hottest Sports Content (@Sports_Hottest) June 15, 2020
MOST VALUABLE INTEL: The ’98 HR Chase brought baseball back
The home run battle between McGwire and Sosa was bigger than baseball itself. MLB fans were obsessed with the duo’s powerful performances, watching every minute of their respective broadcasts, but people who weren’t even baseball fans took notice as the latest SportsCenter episode spilled over into the evening news.
On August 10th, Sosa went deep twice (his 45th and 46th) against the Giants to officially be tied with McGwire for the first time of the ’98 season. They would leapfrog each other for the remainder of the season, however, the importance of the race was that baseball was officially America’s pastime again after the 1994 strike caused a large reduction in national audience. ESPN’s Schoenfield dives into the details of the remarkable HR race that provides baseball fans with the essential tidbits needed before watching the “Long Gone Summer” documentary.
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