The summer of 1998 was set up to be a home run race between St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire and Seattle Mariners All-Star Ken Griffey Jr. as they both chased the record of 61 long balls in a season.
After all, McGwire hit 58 homers the year before, while Griffey drilled 56.
Instead, Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa was the one who battled McGwire all year. McGwire set the record with 70, while Sosa—who hit 36 home runs in 1997—finished with 66 as the National League MVP.
"What is meant to be is meant to be," Sosa said in ESPN's documentary Long Gone Summer (h/t Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago).