Omar Birchwood

The Year Baseball Will Never Forget

Baseball is a game that has been around for more than a 150 years. There is so many special things that happened as the years went by. With Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier, Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth's homerun record and Roger Clemens setting the record for most strikeouts in one game. Also the Indians winning the most games in the regular season. All these historical events happened in separate seasons. Those records were broken are tied all in one special year. This year was 1998.

Roger Maris' 61 homeruns was a record that stood up for 37 years. Every year before 1998 the sports media would get hyped up during the season because Ken Griffey Jr. or Mark McGuire would be on pace to break this record, but they would always go on a slump and fall a few short of the record. Then the next year baseball analysist would predict that if any would break the record it would be Griffey Jr. because of his uppercut swing. They were wrong in thinking Griffey would break it because the men who eventualy shattered the record were Mark McGuire(who did it first) and Sammy Sosa. One day on a September night the Cubs and cardinals were playing a game. McGuire was on 61 homeruns which tied the record and Sammy was about two or three behind him. This game was made nationally televised because of what was about to happen. Mark McGuire came up to bat for the second time, Mike Morgan was on the mound pitching for the Cubs he delivered the pitch and Mark hit a laserbeam down the line and it went over the fence. The crowd errupted every knew it was gone. McGuire was jumping around the bases all the Cubs congratulated him as he passed. Sammy Sosa came from the outfield to give him a hug. Mark went to Maris family who was in attendance and also hugged them. He went on to hit 70 and Sosa went on to hit 66 and 70 is the mark that somebody else would have to accomplish.

The New York Yankees probably the greatest franchise ever did sometihng in 98 that ws never done by American League team. The season before 98 they came of a dissappointing lost to the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS. In 98 they made a few knew accquistions that helped this team destroy the rest of the league. From opening day the Yankees had people believing this could be the year they win it all again. They lost the opennng game and from there on out it was lights out for the rest of the league. It was like they didn't know what losing ws about. Every team used come and play the Yankees and know they were going to lose the series. The team stayed healthy all year round which is abig reason they had such a remarkable year. When it came to interleague play they wiped up the National League teams. Like the Braves and those sorry Mets. They eventually closed out the regular season winning 114 games which set the American League record previosly held by the Indians. All they had to do to make thaose wins count for something was win the championship. They cruised through the playoffs sweeping the Rangers and beating the Indians in six games. The same team that beat them last year. When they got to the World Series that was another walkthrough. They played the San Diego Padres in which they swept and became the champions once again in their magical team history.

Before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball blacks were not allowed to play in professional baseball. In 1998 at a Met game basball paid tribute to this acomplishment by retiring Robinson's number of 42 from all of basball. Players who entered the pros after that could not were the number 42.

Roger Clemens set the record for strikeouts in one game at 20. Well in 98 a rookie by the name of Kerry Wood played against the Houston Astros in just only his fifth start of the season. He was from Texas the same state as Clemens. In this start he struck out 20 Astros batters tying the record set by Roger Clemens in 1986.

The year of 98 was a historical one. Major league records were broken that stood tall for years. The homerun record was broken which is probably the most prestiges record baseball has. The Yankees won the most games ever. Jackie Robinson was paid his respect that is rightfully needed and Kerry Wood tied the strikeout record as a rookie. To me that has to the most magnificent year with all those records being broken or tied.