"At first I thought sixty-one was something special. The sixty-one was something that reminded me of Mark. He hit sixty-one and sixty-two against us. Then I got sixty-two. It was something unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was doing. I couldn't believe what was happening."

"Don't compare me to Babe Ruth. God gave me the opportunity and the ability to be here at the right time, at the right moment, just like he gave Babe Ruth when he was playing. I just hope I can keep doing what I've been doing - keep taking care of business."

"Everyone knows that what happened to me is great, but at the other side I care about winning. I care about the team and the situation right now."

"I can't do it every day. They're not going to give me much to hit right now. They're pitching me real well. If I get there, fine."

"I know a little about Hack because his picture is next to my locker. I am lucky to be there at the right time. People will now remember two guys, Hack Wilson and myself, and the season is not over yet."

"I'm not even thinking about passing McGwire. The season will be over September twenty-seventh. Mark will go home, and I will go to the playoffs."

"I'm not keeping track, but the record is there for someone to break."

"I'm not thinking about that, but I'm not going to lie to you - I'm having a good time."

"I'm real happy my name is in the record book, but it means nothing because we lost."

"I'm seeing the ball well. I'm not trying for home runs. I'm trying to hit to right field more. When I do that, the home run comes."

"I said to myself I've got to go up there and do it because the New York Mets keep winning every day. The game was on the line and I wanted to go out there and come through for my team. That win tonight means a lot for us."

"It's going to be unbelievable, you know. There's going to be a lot of people cheering for Mark McGwire and me. And, hey, we'll see how it goes."

"I've always swung the same way. The difference is when I swing and miss, people say, 'He's swinging for the fences.' But when I swing and make contact people say, 'That's a nice swing.' But there's no difference, it's the same swing."

"I would like to have another month like that. It was a pretty good month."

"Mark is the man."

"Mark McGwire is thirty-four years old. I'm twenty-nine. He's probably a little bit tired and I'm just having some fun."

"Mark, you know I love you. It's been unbelievable. I wish you could be here with me today. I know you are watching me and I know you have the same feelings for me as I have for you in my heart."

"My situation is different from Mark's. I'm not looking for home runs, I'm looking for the playoffs."

"Right now what's in my mind is going up there and being disciplined. I was swinging at so many pitches out of the strike zone, and when you do that, you're not going to get a chance to hit strikes. It makes it easier for the pitcher every time I do that."

"To tell the truth, I never think about a homer. I'm just thinking of the situation and what I've got to do when I go to the plate."

"When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs."

"Yeah, I'm surprised that I'm here right now. I have to say everyone was looking at McGwire and Griffey, but you never know in baseball."

"You have to enjoy it. It is not going to happen every year, so this is the year that it is happening and we have got to go out there and enjoy it."

"You never know what can happen. We both have a lot of chances to break it. I'm not thinking about breaking it."

"Everything he hit was really blessed. He could break bones with his shots. Blindfold me and I could still tell you when Joe hit the ball. It had a special crack." - Ernie Shore

"He had great talent, he could hit and run and throw. He was a little raw and undisciplined. He would swing at anything, but you could see he was going to be terrific." - Bobby Valentine

"He's beyond description. I don't know the right words to describe how great a season he's had. You say MVP type season, but I don't know if that's enough to describe it." - Mark Grace

"He's not missing mistakes. That's the big thing for all good hitters: Mark, Griffey and those guys. They don't swing at bad balls and they hammer mistakes. They make you pay for every mistake and that's what Sammy's doing." - Mark Parent

"I didn't think he hit the ball that hard. The ball just kept going." - Rafael Roque

"I just hope Sammy gets the attention he deserves. Not only has he hit sixty-two homers, but he has carried us. He is without doubt the MVP of the National League." - Mark Grace

"It hurts me to say this because I've pulled for my man as hard as I can, but I think Sosa is the MVP. He has had a great year and the Cubs are in the hunt with a week to go in the season. I think that tips it to Sosa." - Tony La Russa

"It's a privilege to be able to watch these two classy guys go at it like that." - Tony La Russa

"It's incredible to be able to do what Sammy and Mark are doing. They are kind of feeding off each other. I've got to root for Sammy, when he hits home runs we're going to win." - Gary Gaetti

"It's the most excitement we've had in baseball in a long time. The two guys going against each other and the entire country is interested." - Ozzie Smith

"Sammy has good years every year. This is just an extraordinary year." - Jim Riggleman

"Sammy's a September player, so you have to watch out for him. It's crunch time, time to make history." - Mark McGwire

"The only real mistake I made was throwing a pitch up and away to Sosa. Normally he tries to pull a ball like that. Today he went with the pitch." - Marc Valdes

"These guys are amazing. To watch them with all the pressure that's on them, to hit a home run every time. It's really something." - Billy Wagner

"We've been riding Sammy the whole time and Sammy's just been terrific." - Mark Grace

"What he and I have been doing is fantastic. What we've done nobody in the game has done for thirty-seven years. I'm pretty happy with the way things have been going." - Mark McGwire

"Wouldn't it be great if we just ended up tied? I think it would be beautiful." - Mark McGwire