McGwire and Sosa named SI's Sportsmen of the Year


In 1998, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa collectively captured the country's attention in an historic home run race. On Monday, both were named Sports Illustrated's Sportsmen of the Year.

McGwire and Sosa both shattered the all-time single-season record of 61 home runs set by Roger Maris in 1961. McGwire, who first surpassed Maris, finished with a record 70 for the St. Louis Cardinals, while Sosa led the Chicago Cubs to the postseason with 66.

The sluggers became the 11th and 12th baseball players to receive the honor, which has been awarded each of the last 45 years. This year marks the seventh time that multiple winners have been named.

"There was no shortage of Sportsman of the Year candidates for 1998," SI managing editor Bill Colson said. "But with the joyful and dignified way Sammy and Mark carried themselves on and off the field during their pursuit of immortality, we felt that honoring both men was clearly the best choice."

McGwire tied and broke Maris' record against Sosa and the Cubs on September 7 and 8, respectively. After belting his 62nd homer against Steve Trachsel, McGwire celebrated with his son, teammates, Maris' family and Sosa, who jogged in from his right field position to hug the new homer king.

While McGwire led the Cardinals to a third-place finish in the NL Central, Sosa powered the Cubs to the National League wild card.

The league's Most Valuable Player drove in a major league-best 158 runs, the fourth-highest total in NL history. He hit .308 with 20 doubles and 18 stolen bases and led the majors in runs (132) and total bases (414).

Less publicized than their baseball exploits were McGwire's and Sosa's off-the-field generosity.

McGwire started the Mark McGwire Foundation for Children, which assists physically and sexually abused children in the St. Louis and Southern California area. After being acquired in July 1997 from Oakland, he pledged to donate $1 million to the foundation in each year of his three-year contract.

Sosa, a native of the Dominican Republic, began a foundation that raises funds for underprivileged children in the Chicago area and in the Dominican Republic.