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McGwire's Home Runs Break Fox, ESPN Ratings Records (Sept. 10)

Fox, Buck Hit Home Run
With McGwire Coverage

By George Stahl (Sept. 8)

"Down the left field line. Is it enough? Gone! There it is! Sixty-two! Touch first, Mark. You are the new single-season home run king."
-Joe Buck's call of Mark McGwire's 62nd home run

And with that call, Mark McGwire and Joe Buck got married, forever together as long as baseball is played and home runs are revered.

And with last night's game, Fox once again showed that it is among the best in providing outstanding sports coverage despite having the least experience as compared to the other major networks.

Buck's call, as with many other calls of historic home runs, matched the achievement. Buck was able to describe the homer in proper detail and drama despite the fact that McGwire hit a first-pitch fastball that cleared the left field wall in an eye's blink and by an eye's lash.

(To see ArmchairQB.com's list of baseball's greatest home run calls, click here).

McGwire, in his excitement, stumbled around first base, but Buck didn't break stride, reminding McGwire to touch first and that he is the new single-season home run king.

Buck's call will go a long way to cementing him as a bona fide baseball announcer and one of the top of his profession, instead of being the son of a legendary baseball announcer. Joe's father, Jack, a hall of fame announcer, was doing the game for Cardinals radio, although he is usually off the air during the fourth inning, which is when McGwire blasted his way into history.

Tonight's call may represent a changing of the Buck guard as Jack sees and hears his son call an historic baseball moment, like so many others that Jack has called as a Cardinals announcer since 1954 and as the former No. 1 baseball announcer at CBS radio and television.

After the initial call, the announcers let the wonderful pictures chosen by director Bill Webb and producer John Filippelli tell the story. Buck, Bob Brenly and Tim McCarver remained silent for about three minutes and 36 seconds as Webb and Filippelli kept the camera on McGwire, following him around the field.

Fox didn't leave McGwire to show gratuitous fans cheering or family members hugging. The network gave a continuous, clean look at McGwire basking in his moment, which - as Buck explained later in the telecast - was Fox's intention going into the game. A good game plan executed perfectly.

Buck eventually broke the silence by saying, "Folks, it couldn't happen to a better man, and you will always know where you were at 8:18 p.m. central time, Sept. 8, 1998."

And we will always know when you, Joe Buck, established yourself as one of the best.

Another version of the call: On Cardinals' radio station KMOX-AM, former Cardinal and McGwire teammate Mike Shannon made the following call: "A shot into the corner! It might make it! There it is ... Sixty-two, folks! And we have a new home run champion - a new Sultan of Swat!''

Good quotes on Fox: 1. "I just don't want the tax," said the person who retrieved the magical home run ball, Tim Forneris, in reference to a report that the Internal Revenue Service might tax the person who catches the ball.
2. "Do you want to pinch me?" McGwire's mother after the game to Joe Buck.

Minor Gripes : 1. Fox missed the beginning of McGwire's comments from the field because it was showing replays (although the crowd also drowned out some of his comments).
2. Fox did not have a camera along the third-base line showing the home run head on.

Nice touch: During the eighth inning, Fox broadcasted reactions from other ballparks to McGwire's blast. Fox showed Ranger outfielder Juan Gonzalez taking his glove off and clapping, Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn staring at the video screen, and Yankee owner George Steinbrenner applauding.

As for the rest of the game: Fox did a nice job of balancing game commentary with McGwire commentary. Oh sure, one could argue that Fox went too far with the McGwire story line, but how many times does a player hit 62 home runs in a season?

Exactly.

Oh, by the way, Cardinals won 6-3.

Didja notice that...: 1. Some idiot came running on the field almost immediately after McGwire hit his homer? Fox nicely did not make a scene of it.
2. McGwire blew past Cardinal legend Stan "The Man" Musial to hug the Maris family?
3. NBC announcer Jim Gray was in the stands a few rows behind the Maris family and by baseball Commissioner Bud Selig?

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To see a list of great home run calls, click here.
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