On April 20 , 1997 –  Mark McGwire becomes the fourth major leaguer to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium. The Athletics first baseman joins Harmon Killebrew (1962), Frank Howard (1968), and Cecil Fielder (1990) as the only players to accomplish the feat.

Veteran slugger Mark McGwire held a ball in his hand, the one he hit over the left field roof. Rookie right-hander Brian Moehler also held a ball in his .hand, the one from the final out of his first major league victory, 9-2 over Oakland. “He knows what he’s doing out there,” McGwire said Sunday. “J was glad just to hit the ball.” McGwire said the down-and-in pitch he drove out was “the only pitch all day that he threw that didn’t jump all over the place.” In his sixth major league start, Moehler came up with a ratio the Tigers will take any time more solo homers allowed (two) than walks (one). He did so two days after manager Buddy Bell and pitching coach Rick Adair held a pitchers’ meeting regarding the club s league-high walk total. I concentrated on .throwing first-pitch strikes,” Moehler said.