Right on the Mark

Mark McGwire, a self-described believer in the universe and man of faith who is certain that Roger Maris has been “watching and walking with him,” joined his heavenly comrade in the baseball record book Monday, a day of providential developments.

Tying the major league record set by Maris 37 years ago, the St. Louis Cardinal first baseman slugged his 61st home run on his father’s 61st birthday and only minutes after his 10-year-old son, Matt, had arrived from San Diego.

“I don’t think I’ll ever let go of the moment,” McGwire said of his emotions. “I don’t know if I’ll ever have this opportunity again.

“What I’ve done is fabulous, and the whole time I thought, ‘What a great birthday for my dad and what a great feeling to have my son here.’ ”

A Busch Stadium crowd of 42,877 was standing in anticipation when McGwire belted a first-inning fastball from Chicago Cub right-hander Mike Morgan off the windows of the left field Stadium Club at 1:22 p.m.

The estimated drive of 430 feet moved McGwire ahead of Babe Ruth, the only other player besides Maris to hit 60 homers, and sent McGwire on a triumphant tour of the bases as the crowd roared and a right-field spectator named Sammy Sosa, his friend and rival in this remarkable home run odyssey, applauded into his glove.

Sosa, who also received a welcoming ovation from the appreciative fans, had an otherwise difficult day as his Cubs, vying for the National League wild card, lost, 3-2.

He arrived with 58 homers and left with 58. He struck out three times, popped up and singled in the eighth, when he stood with McGwire at first base, congratulated him, gave him a hug (“Which is all class,” McGwire said) and told him not to get too far ahead of him in the home run duel.

The next home run, of course, will give McGwire the record, but as Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa said, “The race is still on.” McGwire has 19 games left, Sosa 18.

“What I’ve done is tie it,” McGwire said of the most romanticized and hallowed record in sports. “I’m one swing away from breaking it.

“Whether that happens tomorrow or the next day or not at all, only the man upstairs knows, but it’s definitely been a long, hard road.”

A long road of expectation after hitting a combined 58 homers with the Cardinals and Oakland A’s last year.

“I’ve been asked about it and talked about it since January, and here we are, tied at 61,” McGwire said. “I think I’ve amazed myself, and I’m sure that I’ve amazed other people, so it’s hard not to have emotions.

“It’s an unbelievable feat, and the thing is, Mr. Sosa is close to it, too.”

With all the pressure, with all the demands, with America tracking the home run race and more than 600 members of the media at Busch, McGwire said he was very calm and relaxed on Monday.

He launched so many homers in batting practice that an excited Sosa jumped on the back of teammate Henry Rodriguez.

It wasn’t long before he had the crowd jumping.

With a one-ball, one-strike count, Morgan shook off a slider in favor of a fastball down and away.

“If I had put it where I wanted it, he could have easily popped it up,” said the 38-year-old pitcher who has been with 10 major league teams, including the Dodgers. “But it ran back over the middle of the plate. You generally can get away with one or two mistakes over the course of the game, but he’s locked in right now.”

A pitch to drive. McGwire raised his arms exultantly, knowing it was gone, knowing it was 61, thinking as he began to circle the bases of watching on television when Henry Aaron broke Ruth’s career record and how some of the Dodger infielders had shaken Aaron’s hand as he toured.

McGwire banged congratulatory forearms with Mark Grace at first base, slapped hands with former Cardinal Gary Gaetti at third and exchanged a bash with coach Rene Lachemann, who shared many of the Oakland years.

At the plate, McGwire pointed skyward, then lifted and embraced his son, wearing a Cardinal uniform and serving as bat boy.

“Matt didn’t get here from California until about 12:30,” McGwire said later. “The first time I saw him was when I went to the bat rack [in the bottom of that first inning]. I told him I loved him, gave him a kiss, and the next thing I knew I saw him at home plate. I wish every father could experience that feeling.”

McGwire was soon surrounded by teammates, but at 6 foot 5 stood above the crowd and pointed in the direction of his father, John, who was standing with his wife, Ginger, and other family members and friends behind the plate.

The roar of the crowd drowned out McGwire’s voice as he yelled “Happy birthday,” but the senior McGwire said later that he got the message, that it was the best birthday possible.

“We talked last night and I told Mark, ‘Well, I’ve made it to 61, now maybe you can.’ His mom and I are thrilled beyond words.”

Roger Maris Jr., and his three brothers may have been experiencing emotions of a different type, but McGwire also pointed in their direction, touched his heart and pointed again toward the sky, letting them know he was thinking of their father, as he told them when they huddled after the game and hugged.

“I thanked them for being here and told them that their father was in my heart,” McGwire said. “I told them that I would like to spend more time with them when this was all over and share with them some of the feelings that their father must have experienced because I’ve been through it now and know what those feelings are like and I can tell them they are pretty amazing.

“I mean, it seems like I’ve been talking about and thinking about their dad since 1987 when I had 33 homers at the All-Star break. Now it’s 12 years later and Sammy and I are neck and neck and I admire everything Roger Maris went through because I’ve gone through it now. I have only respect for him. Any criticism he received was totally unfair.”

Different time and different place.

Maris didn’t have a nation pulling for him as McGwire does, didn’t respond to the microscope as McGwire has, certainly never had the Blue Angels fly over the stadium in a mid-game salute as McGwire did Monday, when he went on to single and fly out twice in the bid for 62 and a new high in this season of heavenly rapport.

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TONIGHT’S GAME

Chicago at St. Louis

Channel 11, 5 p.m.

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* BILL PLASCHKE: The emotions runneth over for Mark McGwire after he hits his 61st home run. A1

* J.A. ADANDE: In Chicago, fans want to see history almost as much as they want to see the Cubs make the playoffs for the first time since 1989. C6

* PITCH MEN: Pitchers such as Chicago’s Mike Morgan are famous for all the wrong reasons. C7

* A HANDOUT: The ball hit for home run No. 61 turns out not to be one in a million dollars when it is turned over to Mark McGwire for free. C7