Mark McGwire 62nd Home Run Ball Worth

Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire home run race was for breaking Roger Maris single-season homer record of 61. He won the contest with his 62nd dinger.

McGwire's 62nd home run was shot on 8 September 1988 against the throw by Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel. It flew a distance of 341 feet, landing just outside the stadium wall.

Fans were confident that McGwire would be breaking the record that day. Multiple groups debated on the auction price of the ball to be at least $1 million.

Meanwhile, Forneris had a selfless nature as he cherished the memory of being able to pick up the legendary ball and give it back to McGwire rather than obtaining the monetary value it hold through the auction.

The ball hit by McGwire on 8 September 1998 held the historic value of breaking the former record of 61 homers by Roger Maris in 1961. 

Cardinals Big Mac and Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa started a friendly competition to break the Roger Maris home run record from the MLB season 1961.

After winning the contest on 8 September 1988, McGwire went on to end the season with 70 dingers that year.

Mark McGwire held the record for most single season home runs with 70 HR from 1998 to 2001. McGwire dingers also broke the Roger Maris record from 1961.

Big Mac scored the 62nd dinger on 8th September game against the Cubs at Busch Stadium. He kept adding more in the final games eventually making his 70th HR after hitting two dingers on 27 September 1998.

Dinger by McGwire traveled to a lucky fan into the stands who later became a millionaire. Initially, the Cardinals offered a signed bat, ball, and jersey for the club for the 70th homer ball.

Phil Ozersky was the lucky genetic researcher that caught the ball. He had requested to meet with McGwire to return the ball with offers from the Cardinals, but it all went to naught when Big Mac denied any audience. 

Who Caught Mark McGwire 70th Home Run?

Phil Ozersky was the person that caught Mark McGwire 70th Home Run ball on 27 September 2023. Ozersky walked away with the ball when McGwire refused to meet him.

While the Cardinals offered a signed bat, ball, and jersey, Ozersky also requested to meet with the hitter in question. When McGwire rejected the proposal to meet him to get the ball back, Ozersky walked home with the ball.

Four months later, he was offered a huge price of $3 million to cash out the historic home run ball by comic book artist Todd McFarlane. Ozersky took the offer that would turn his life upside down in a day.

While the amount was considered the highest selling price for sports memorabilia at that time, the researcher was charitable with his earnings. 

He donated $70,000 each to charitable organizations for the Leukemia Society, Cardinals Care, and American Cancer Society. Meanwhile, he invested the rest toward his family and his research on worms.

Mark McGwire Home Run Ball auction was held for his 70th HR ball on 12 January 1999. It was sold for the final amount of $3 million to Todd McFarlane.

The item was sold by bidding through Guernsey's auction house in New York, as reported by CNN. There were other homer balls hit by McGwire during his race for breaking the single-season record.

Here is the list of all the Homer balls sold by Guernsey auction house while selling the 70th Dinger memorabilia. 

• Mark McGwire 70th HR Ball - For $3 Million 
• Mark McGwire 68th HR ball - For $55,000
• Mark McGwire 67th HR ball - For $50,000
• Mark McGwire 63rd HR ball - For $50,000
• Mark McGwire 16th HR ball - For $20,000 (it was his longest homer at Busch Stadium, sent to a distance of 545 feet)

Although the price of 70th HR was sold for marked $3 million in 1999, the recent evaluation by Ken Goldin of Goldin auctions marks it at only $250,000. 

Meanwhile, a slightly better price was set by David Kohler of SCP Auctions as he estimated it to reach a maximum value of $400,000. Bleacher Report confirms the reevaluation with references from TMZ Sports Claims regarding the new auction price for the former three million worth of memorabilia.

Mark McGwire longest home runs are 545 feet, 538 feet, 527 feet, and so on. McGwire made his farthest shot at the Cardinal's home ground Busch Stadium.   

Here is the list of the ten longest Mark McGwire home runs in feet along with the stadium it was scored in.

• 545 feet - 16 May 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
• 538 feet - 24 June 1997 at Kingdome Ballpark in Seattle, Washington
• 527 feet - 12 May 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
• 517 feet - 16 September 1997 at Dodgers Stadium in LA
• 514 feet - 20 April 1997 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit
• 511 feet - 17 July 1998 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
• 509 feet - 26 August 26 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
• 504 feet - 2 September 1997 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
• 501 feet - 30 August 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri
• 500 feet - 22 August 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami