McGwire breaks record

By Rick Alonzo, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, September 9, 1998

Mark McGwire and former Long Beach State pitcher Steve Trachsel will now forever be linked.

The massive 6-foot-5 Cardinal with 20-inch biceps figured to crush a titanic blast well into outer space,to break Maris's record.

But No. 62 was a little wimpy, by McGwire's standards. At 341 feet, it was his shortest of the season but it moved him past Maris, who hit 61 home runs in 1961.

Trachsel served up the pitch in the fourth inning . Fans raced onto the field to collect the treasured ball as it bounced back into the playing area at Busch Stadium in Saint Louis.

Trachsel played baseball at CSULB from 1989 to 1991 and was the Cubs' eighth pick in the draft. He holds the 49er record for most innings pitched (148.2) and is third in strikeouts with 139.

The shot was McGwire's second career home run off Trachsel and his first this season.

The Cardinals went on to win the game 6-3.