Mark McGwire (born October 1, 1963 in Pomona, California) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 through 2001.
McGwire was a prolific powerhitter during the 1990s. For his career, McGwire averaged a home run once every 10.61 at bats, the highest home run ratio in baseball history (Babe Ruth is second at 11.76). In 1998, McGwire broke Roger Maris's single season home run record of 61 by hitting 70 (McGwire's record has since been broken by Barry Bonds). In addition, McGwire was known for the length of his home runs, hitting a couple that surpassed 500 feet. McGwire's nicknames included "Big Mac," "Big Red" and "Colossus."
McGwire's reputation has been tarnished in recent years by both allegations of steroid use and a widely-criticized appearance before the House Government Reform Committee in 2005, during which McGwire refused to answer when asked if he had used steroids during his playing career.
