Las Vegans enjoy a slice of baseball history

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1998 | 10:45 a.m.

Mark McGwire's record-breaking 62nd home run can not be called "the shot heard round the world" because that moniker already belongs to the New York Giants Bobby Thomson and his National League pennant winning round-tripper against Brooklyn in 1951.

But McGwire's homer may have been the shot seen around the world as millions tuned in to watch the slugger make history Tuesday night.

At Moose McGillycuddy's bar on Maryland Parkway across from UNLV 22-year-old Patrick Wiebeld watched the history-making hit.

"He (McGwire) has been my favorite player since 1987," said Wiebeld, a communications major. "I almost cried when he hit it. I still have the chills from it."

Brian Karsh, a 21-year-old studying hotel management at UNLV, said he could not get over the moment.

"It was just unreal to watch it go out with all the flashbulbs in the stands going off," Karsh said. "I thought that he had a good chance to do it since the All-Star break, but it was amazing to see it happen."

In Summerlin 14-year-old pitcher Matt Wagner watched McGwire beat Roger Marris' 37-year-old record and wondered how Chicago Cubs pitcher Steve Trachsel felt.

"People think it would be terrible to be the pitcher that throws him No. 62, but as a pitcher I don't think it would be that bad," Matt said. "I mean it was going to happen eventually."

Matt, a freshman at Cimarron-Memorial high school, said he and his dad have been closely following the chase for 62.

"My dad always talks about how the players used to be better and that today's athletes think they know everything, so this kind of shows him that that's not always true," Matt said.

Another high schooler watching at 6:18 p.m. when McGwire put his name in the record book was Robert Granna.

"This has really brought baseball back," said Robert, a sophomore catcher at Cimarron. "When they went on strike a few years ago I remember being mad, but this has been great."

Matt and Robert said they would not mind someday following in McGwire's footsteps by playing in the major leagues.

"I've always been a baseball fan for a long time, but this has really got me more interested in the game," Wagner said. "I go out and play more and I go to the gym a lot more, too."

After McGwire hit the home run the game was stopped for 11 minutes as McGwire addressed the crowd and celebrated his achievement. At Moose McGillycuddy's Las Vegans celebrated right along with the man they call "Big Mac."

"You know," said Wiebeld, "I'm never going to forget where I was and what I was doing at 6:18 on Sept. 8th, 1998."