Mark McGwire is finally coming clean. He's admitted that used steroids when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998.

McGwire says in a statement sent to The Associated Press that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade and he apologizes for his actions.

He says: "I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

McGwire's voice repeatedly cracked with emotion during a telephone interview, as he recounted telling his wife, parents and son that he had used steroids.

His voice breaking, McGwire says, "It's the first time they've ever heard me, you know, talk about this. I hid it from everybody."

During a 20-minute phone call Monday, McGwire says he called commissioner Bud Selig and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa earlier in the day to personally apologize.

McGwire says that when he used steroids, he never imagined he would have to talk about it to national media.