By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, Mo. – A lawmaker from St. Louis wants to rename a stretch of I-70 that's currently named after former Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire.
Democratic State Representative T.D. El-Amin is sponsoring a bill that would rename several miles of I-70 "The John Bass Highway." Bass is a former State Senator and retired educator.
"He's a mentor," El-Amin said Wednesday. "He's meant so much as far as, just being an example for young men, namely African-American men, to aspire to, to be."
El-Amin said it's not about Mark McGwire, or whether or not he used steroids, but he did say that McGwire has not done much for his particular community.
He also said that he wouldn't be opposed to another St. Louis area highway being named after the retired slugger.
The Mark McGwire Highway passes through El-Amin's House district, and through the senate district Bass used to represent.