Mark McGwire's pursuit of MLB's single-season HR record
has Cardinals' tickets "going faster than lottery tickets,"
according to Bernie Miklasz of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.
The team reached the 2.9 million mark in tickets sold last
night, are currently 17% ahead of last year's pace, and have
already "exceeded their original projection for this
season." McGwire "is cashing in" via an attendance clause
in his contract, as once the team hit the 2.8 million mark,
he started collecting $1.00 for each ticket sold. He has
already made an extra $100,000 -- on top of his $8.5M
contract -- and could earn an extra $300,000 if the Cards
hit 3.1 million in home attendance. Cardinals President
Mark Lamping said, however, that from a "business standpoint
... you're much better off" having a good team as opposed to
a "great individual" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/30).
BOGUS STUFF: McGwire, on the influx of counterfeit
merchandise bearing his signature: "Anybody who advertises
Mark McGwire things, I'd tell people, 'Never touch it.'
There's scumbags out there who want to make a dollar. And I
hope they get caught" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/30).
