Mac: As Important as Billiards?

Michael Cox

You've already had every hack commentator tell you that Mac's 62nd dinger was (ironically, of course) his shortest of the year. They've all mentioned his post-homer manhandling of his son and the Maris kids ("What? You still here? I will bearhug the life out of you, two at a time!") and that the kid who caught the ball didn't even ask for so much as one of them officially-licensed "Mark McGwire Hits 62" caps. What you still might not know, if you weren't paying attention at the time:

- Prior to the game, angry Cub fans were ringing the phones at the team's offices off the hook, incensed about the "fraternization" on Monday when Mark Grace and Greg Gagne high-fived Mac as he trotted out number 61. This may be the first recorded instance of Cub fans actually giving a flip what happens on the field.

- ESPN was carrying a billiards tournament. Brief coverage of the home run, then back to billiards.

- Section 7.09 (i) of the Official Playing Rules states:

``It is interference by the batter or runner when in the judgment of the umpire, the base coach at third base, or first base, by touching or holding the runner, physically assists him in returning or leaving third base or first base.

``PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.''

The fact that there was no call means that in the judgment of the umpires, there was no interference. This bit of media crap is herewith declared dead.

- McGwire took great pains to not delay the game too long (virtual stagedive into the Maris box notwithstanding). He got on the mic, said a few words (words in our news section - hey, we need the page views!) and got the hell off the mic. And his record is even more important than Cal's was!

- Sammy Sosa is doing his best to milk this for all he's got. And he's not annoying yet. You might want to ask me again after I've seen the 47,836th clip of "Beisbol been beddy, beddy good to me."

- A guy handed Mac a ball during the celebration at the plate. Some news services even reported that it was the ball. "It wasn't the ball," Mac said. "It said, 'Official League,' not 'National League.'" The grounds crew member who caught the real ball gave it to him in the post-game ceremony. If it had happened in New York, the kid would've forced Mac to do the "YMCA" first.

- Aside from an intentional walk to McGwire, the only boos of the night were reserved for commish-for-life Bud Selig (but surveys say that fans loooove him!), who actually was taken aback (or trying to figure out who they were booing, one or the other).

- Things that happened under cover of Mac tying/breaking the record:

- Griffey joins McGwire and Ruth as the third to have back-ro-back 50 HR seasons;

- Greg Maddux walks more players in an inning than he often does in a month;

- J.D. Drew is called up (I'm surprised they didn't bat him behind Mac, to ensure the crowd would be too busy cheering Mac to boo Drew);

- The Phillies raised ticket prices.

- The heavy load appears to have knocked out the Cards' online "#62 Merchandise" store. Dang.

- Tuesday's combined ballpark crowd and national television audience was the largest ever to see Cubs OF Glenallen Hill boot an easy bouncing ball to the outfield.

- As McGwire toured around in that cherry Corvette, the Busch Stadium P.A. system began playing Kool & the Gang's "Celebration," demonstrating that even on such a historic occasion, crappy music can drive you buggy.

 

 

about the author

Michael Cox is hoping nobody breaks another major record for a few more days, so he can try and get a decent night's sleep. Send melatonin to mc@strikethree.com.