I can remember the magical summer of 1998 when both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa raced against each other to be the new single season home run king, to reach the mark (no pun intended) of 61 set by Roger Maris in 1961.  McGwire hit No. 62 first, and Sosa followed soon thereafter.  Years later just like a magic trick the curtain has been drawn back and all revealed to be simply an illusion, a trick, a slight of hand, or in this case, a syringe.

 

McGwire had retired from baseball, and begun that inevitable walk up to the doors of Cooperstown, only to be told he wasn’t welcome on any ballot.  McGwire swore before Congress five years ago that he had not used performance-enhancing drugs, though everybody knew the spectre and shadow that followed him was enough to get a conviction in the court of public opinion.

 

Now McGwire is named the hitting instructor for St. Louis, and so the long shadow that has dogged him since retirement doesn’t cast a pall over Busch Stadium III, he’s finally copping to his mistakes, his cheating, and yes, even his perjury.  Still, it will be interesting if his little confession copping to steroid use continues to overshadow the Cardinals this year as every baseball beatwriter was doing the same thing last year with the Yankees after A-Rod’s confession.