One unexpected adjustment turned a feared power hitter into a guessing game.

On June 28, 1998, with Mark McGwire crushing his way toward history, Twins pitcher Bob Tewksbury took a different approach—slowing the game down to 44 mph. Mixing in an unusually slow curveball kept McGwire off balance all night, limiting him to just one hit and no home runs despite his 36 already on the season. Tewksbury embraced the moment, using extreme speed variation to disrupt timing rather than overpowering his opponent. The strategy worked to perfection, leading Minnesota to a tight 3-2 victory.