Chicago Cubs fans got to see Sammy Sosa dethrone Ken Griffey Jr for one season.
The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals were both featured in the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary called “Long Gone Summer” on Sunday night. It was a film that showcased the single-season home run chase between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998. It was a season that the two both broke the single-season record and chased each other for the new one. McGwire ended up with 70 and Sosa with 66.
The movie did seem to favor McGwire much more than Sosa. That might annoy some Cubs fans but one thing that was apparent was the story of Ken Griffey Jr.‘s 1998 season. It was thought that Jr. would go toe to toe with McGwire for that spot atop the single-season home run chase, but Sosa had other ideas. He had a 20 home run month in June of 98 and that inserted him into the conversation with Griffey and McGwire. Roger Marris’ single-season record was in jeopardy at the end of June.