Unlicensed fantasy pin with incorrect Hard Rock Cafe logo, featuring Major League Baseball player Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals. Hard Rock and MLB do not have a partnership to create authorized co-branded pins.
Pin honors McGwire's historic pursuit of the single-season home run record in 1998. McGwire ended the season with a record 70 home runs.
Pin depicts McGwire facing right, getting ready to hit, using an inverted dark pink guitar as a baseball bat. He wears a red batting helmet and a light gray jersey. On helmet, in gold, is the Cardinals' "STL" logo, with interlocking letters that stand for "St. Louis." On left chest is a red cardinal bird. On right shoulder, in gold capital letters, is the name "McGwire." The team name, "Cardinals," is at bottom center of pin in red.
At center of guitar body is a yellow Hard Rock logo with incorrect fonts. The words "Hard Rock" are in red, with the word "Staff" underneath in gold. On guitar neck, in gold text, are the words "St. Louis 98." Hard Rock Cafe St. Louis opened on August 24, 1998, during McGwire's record-breaking season, but this pin was not sold or distributed to staff there.
At top right of guitar body is a small gold crown and the words "King of Swing" in gold capital letters. At top center is a yellow baseball bat surrounded by five white baseballs. On each ball in gold is a number ranging from 61 through 65. The numbers signify key milestones in the home run chase, tying and then breaking the previous record of 61. At bottom right of guitar is a red cardinal bird.
Several color variations of this pin exist. On this version, the guitar is dark pink, the batting helmet is red, and the jersey is light gray.
Base material: Gold appearance
Style: Painted
Back print: 0 lines
Back pattern: Hard Rock Cafe logos
Distribution method: Unknown
Release date: 1998
Original retail price: Unknown
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