Los Angeles Dodgers

McGwire embraces A's memories in return to Oakland with Dodgers

Published Aug. 18, 2015 11:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

Tuesday night facilitated a reunion of sorts between the Oakland Athletics and one of their cornerstone players when the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived in town for an interleague series.

Mark McGwire, currently the Dodgers' hitting coach, was honored with a bobblehead promotion paying tribute to his amazing 1987 rookie year in Oakland - a season in which Big Mac clubbed 49 home runs and drove in 118 RBI while slashing .289/.370/.618.

The A's hadn't yet staged a promotional night for McGwire, nor was he a part of the 1989 World Series reunion weekend in 2014 due to his obligations with the Dodgers, so this was more or less the first official homage by the team. Of course, given the A's sour season, McGwire's return comes at a rather dubious time for the Green and Gold:

The #Athletics are 18 games under .500 for first time since 1997, the year they traded Mark McGwire amid 65-97 finish. #MLB
— Bud Geracie (@WakeOfWeek) August 18, 2015

Given the context of his return engagement, McGwire sounded very appreciative of the recognition - as quoted by John Hickey of Inside Bay Area on Twitter:

#Dodgers batting coach Mark McGwire describes how "cool" it is to have #Athletics honor him with a bobblehead tonight.
— John Hickey (@JHickey3) August 19, 2015

Mark McGwire said it took "about two seconds" to agree when #Athletics called him this winter about having a bobblehead day in his honor.
— John Hickey (@JHickey3) August 19, 2015

Welcome back Big Mac! pic.twitter.com/PdkXzTtLK3
— Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) August 19, 2015

CSN Bay Area posted a short video interview with McGwire in which he recalls his rookie year in 1987:

As an organization, the A's don't really stage this type of celebratory individual player night very often these days. Tuesday's efforts, however, resulted in the third sellout at O.co Coliseum so far this season (probably due as much to the Dodgers' drawing power and the allure of a McGwire bobblehead, of course).

(h/t CSN Bay Area, MLB.com)