Competition

By Harriet Barovick, Wendy Cole, Tam Gray, Lina Lofaro, David Spitz, Flora Tartakovsky and Chris Taylor

PLAY BALL Think the toe-to-toe home-run battle between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire last baseball season was heated? You should have seen the off-season.

SAMMY SOSA

--Talks to Letterman producer Biff on the Late Show (Sept. 15) --Appears on McDonald's commercial (Oct. 10) --Wins National League MVP by a landslide (Nov. 19) --Appears on cover of Sports Illustrated (Dec. 14) --Hangs out with the President and First Lady (Nov.-Jan.) --Visits the island of the Dominican Republic (Oct.-Nov.) --Gets a national holiday in his honor (Oct. 20) --Guest stars at the State of the Union address (Jan. 19)

MARK MCGWIRE

--Talks to Letterman on the Late Show (Oct. 19) --Appears on McDonald's commercial (Oct. 15) --Wins Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year by a landslide (Dec. 28) --Appears on cover of Sports Illustrated (Dec. 14) --Hangs out with the Pope (Jan. 26) --Visits the island of Australia (Nov.) --Gets a Wheaties box in his honor (Oct. 13) --Guest stars on Mad About You (Feb. 22)