First there was Babe Ruth. Then Roger Maris. And now, Mark McGwire.

The St Louis Cardinals slugger became just the third player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season, and the fastest ever, when he belted a 2-0 pitch from Cincinnati Reds starter Dennis Reyes over the left-field fence in his first at-bat of the game on Saturday.

His 60th smash equalled the legendary Ruth's greatest single-season output and drew McGwire within one home run of the all-time record set by Maris in 1961.

On being in the same class as the Sultan of Swat, McGwire said: "You're almost speechless when people put your name alongside him. I wish I could go back and meet him."

McGwire's 60th homer came in the Cardinals' 141st game of the season, 13 faster than Ruth, who needed the full 154-game season in 1927 to hit 60. Maris hit his 60th homer in his 159th game.

The home run chase that McGwire and Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa have staged this season has riveted the US and revived a sport that had been floundering for fan support after labour disputes, money squabbles and talent-diluting expansion.

"It's unbelievable, what can you say? It's America's pastime," said McGwire. "What's happening with myself and Sosa has brought baseball back and it's brought America together. The fans are coming back without a doubt."

McGwire's blast gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead in the first inning of a 7-0 victory. It was his first homer against the Reds, the only National League team he failed to homer against.

The slugger struck out in his last three at-bats. "It was a fastball, middle-in. I got down on it and it left the ballpark."

The home run was McGwire's 13th in his last 19 games. Deni Allen caught the ball in the lower section of the left-field seats.

Sosa hit his 58th homer on Saturday night in the Cubs' 8-4 road victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates to stay two home runs off McGwire's pace.