Local Hall of Famer Gets His Only MLB Hit

This Date in St. Louis Cardinals History - 1993

Lonnie Maclin –  (born February 17, 1967 in Clayton, Missouri), played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1993 season. In 12 career games, Maclin had one hit in 13 at-bats.

Ironically, that lone hit came on a night that I was at the ballpark. A night that I will never forget and will forever be etched into Cardinals lore — September 7, 1993, at Busch Stadium, when Mark Whiten launched four home runs and drove in 12 runs against the Cincinnati Reds.

Lost in that historic barrage was Lonnie Maclin quietly recording the only Major League hit of his career. For Maclin, simply reaching the big leagues with the hometown St. Louis Cardinals was a testament to perseverance — years of grinding through the minor leagues for a September call-up and a brief cup of coffee in The Show.

While the box score will always spotlight Whiten’s fireworks, Maclin’s single stands as a reminder that for many players, a single base hit in the majors represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

On a night remembered for tape-measure home runs, Maclin claimed his own quiet piece of baseball history — and for those who were there, that’s something no stat line can diminish.

The former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder and first baseman, who spent seven years in the Cardinals farm system beginning in 1987, was inducted into the Greater St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024.

(Photo Credit - St. Louis American / Research Sources - HistoryofCardinals.com)