McGwire Power : Oakland First Baseman Wins Contest With 12 Homers, Including 8 in Row

It turns out that Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire can perform in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium as well as his brother, Dan.

While playing quarterback for San Diego State, Dan McGwire became a first-round NFL draft pick.

Mark McGwire, who leads the majors with 28 home runs, stole the show in the home run contest Monday afternoon. He hit 12, including eight on consecutive swings.

McGwire even surprised himself.

“Yeah, I certainly did,” he said. “I just wanted to get four. That was the least amount on our team (at that point).”

McGwire credited batting practice pitcher Rick Turner, normally a bullpen catcher for the California Angels.

“He knew right where I liked it, and he kept it there the majority of the time,” McGwire said.

Fred McGriff of the Padres followed McGwire to the plate, but there wasn’t much McGriff was going to do.

“You can’t follow something like that,” McGriff said. “That was amazing. The guy was hitting them left and right. It was the best exhibition I ever saw.”

McGwire matched Baltimore’s Cal Ripken Jr., who hit 12 in last year’s contest in Toronto’s SkyDome.

McGwire, Seattle’s Ken Griffey (seven homers), Ripken (four) and Toronto’s Joe Carter (four) teamed to hit 27. For the NL, Montreal’s Larry Walker (four), San Diego’s Gary Sheffield (four), McGriff (three) and Pittsburgh’s Barry Bonds (two) teamed to hit only 13.