Mark McGwire

Artist Statement

Mark McGwire helped spark a renewed interest in baseball at a time when the sport needed it most. As the central figure in the home run record-chase to surpass Roger Maris’ magical 61 during the 1998 season, McGwire established a new major league record by hitting 70.  The 1997 American League Rookie of the Year had a career that spanned 15 seasons. He played for both the Oakland A’s and the St. Louis Cardinals, winning a World Series championship title with each team (1989; A’s as a player, 2011; Cardinals as a coach). Big Mac, as he was nicknamed, led the major leagues in home runs five times and was a twelve-time All-Star. Blessed with tremendous size and power, Mark was a patient hitter with quick hands who could turn on a pitch in an instant if a pitcher made a mistake in location. 

The All-American painting was created to celebrate the impact McGwire’s magical home run chase in 1997 had on the country. For one magical summer, he and Sammy Sosa managed to capture the imagination of an entire nation at a time when the distraction was a welcome relief to other events in the news at the time. When the painting first appeared as part of the Fleer Pro-Vision line the US was involved in the Gulf War. The American flag background and the timing of its release made the card an instant hit with collectors; making both McGwire and the Pro-Vision card a part of the Great American Pastime in a truly unique way.