There was $1 million up for grabs, so it was fitting that the pitcher's name was Cash. And although no one went home any richer, the fans didn't leave disappointed either.
The event was the All-Star Home Run Derby held before more than 60,000 screaming, sweating baseball fans at Veterans Stadium on Monday, the eve of the All-Star game.Barry Bonds, using a borrowed bat, won the title in a San Francisco Bay area final over Oakland's Mark McGwire, capping a festivity-filled afternoon.
Bonds outhomered McGwire 3-2 in the final round to become the first National Leaguer crowned home run champion since Ryne Sandberg in 1990. Bonds also defeated the Oakland A's slugger 10-9 in a wild second round. But it was McGwire's tape-measure shots into the upper deck in left field that fans will never forget.
In the second round, McGwire hit two balls into the 600 level in left field. No player in the history of the stadium has ever done that in a real game.
McGwire also came the closest to making one of the fans an instant millionaire.
There was additional incentive for the players this year. If one of them hit a sign in straightaway center field - an estimated 485 feet from the plate - a random drawing would win a lucky fan $1 million. McGwire sent one toward the spot marked "Hit It Here!" but it fell about 20 feet short.
In the final, McGwire hit two weak grounders before depositing the third pitch from Philadelphia first-base coach Dave Cash into the upper deck in left. He managed only one more homer before it was Bonds' turn.
And the Giants outfielder needed only three swings to complete the job, flipping his bat to the ground as the final ball sailed high toward the right-field stands.
Bonds brought only one bat to the All-Star game, so to avoid breaking it, Florida's Gary Sheffield lent him one belonging to Houston's Derek Bell.
"Boy, that bat's got some thunder in it," Bonds said.
The seventh annual home run contest wrapped up the day's All-Star eve events, which included a celebrity softball game and workouts by the NL and AL teams in preparation for Tuesday night's game.
With balls flying out of stadiums at record rates this season, the event promised to be a showcase for some of the game's premier power hitters. However, injuries to defending champion Frank Thomas of Chicago and Boston's Mo Vaughn diminished the field.
Cleveland's Albert Belle, who led the majors with 50 home runs last year, declined an invitation to take part.
Baltimore's Brady Anderson and Seattle's Jay Buhner were the others to make the second round.
Anderson has 30 homers at the All-Star break to lead the majors. His sudden home-run hitting prowess has given juiced-ball theorists another reason to claim baseball's power numbers are a joke.
However, Anderson showed he could swing with the big boys. He hit five home runs in the first round, and added six in round two.
"It might be the most nervous I've ever been in a batter's box, ever," Anderson said.
Toronto's Joe Carter, who broke Philadelphia fans' hearts in 1993 with his Game 6 home run that beat the Phillies in the World Series, was booed when he came to the plate as the first participant.
Carter, who has hit at least 20 home runs in 11 straight seasons, expected the greeting and smiled after failing to hit one out on his first several attempts. The crowd gave Carter a sarcastic ovation when he finally hit a home run - foul. He finished the first round with two homers, one a 433-foot shot.
Two players, Milwaukee's Greg Vaughn and Sheffield, failed to homer.