[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 118 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1665-E1666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           IN RECOGNITION OF ST. LOUIS CARDINAL MARK McGWIRE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. RICHARD A. GEPHARDT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 1998

  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute Mark McGwire and his 
awesome feat in setting a new, single-season home run record.
  Throughout this season, Americans have been treated to one of the 
most incredible sporting achievements of our lifetime. The single-
season home run mark of 61 stood as perhaps the most awesome feat in 
baseball history. I feel privileged to have been able to witness Mark 
McGwire in action this year--every baseball fan in America knows that 
they have seen something special in 1998.
  Roger Maris set that record 37 years ago, topping perhaps the most 
impressive achievement of Babe Ruth, the best all-around player ever to 
take the field in professional baseball. Watching McGwire's pursuit of 
62 home runs, placing him among icons like Ruth and Maris, has been a 
pure joy to witness.
  Mark McGwire is not only an outstanding athlete, he is also a man 
whose conduct epitomizes good sportsmanship. He has remained focused on 
his goal in the face of a media frenzy and a sea of exploding in flash 
bulbs. And he did it with amazing grace and real class.
  The chase showed something special about Mark McGwire. But it also 
showed me something special about the people of St. Louis. The fact 
that seven very lucky fans gave up progressively larger amounts of 
money, returning their souvenir home runs balls to Number 25, showed 
that Cardinals fans truly are, as Baseball America called them, the 
Best Baseball Fans in America. These fans showed their true spirit when 
they stood and cheered not only for St. Louis' own Mark McGwire, but 
also for that great athlete, the Cub's, Sammy Sosa.
  Mr. Speaker, I could not be more proud to say I am from St. Louis, 
and I could not be

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more proud to say I am a Cardinals fan. Thank you and congratulations 
Mark McGwire.

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