Mark Whiten facts for kids

Mark Anthony Whiten is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He was born on November 25, 1966. Mark played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was also a switch-hitter, meaning he could bat with both his left and right hands.

Mark Whiten played for several teams during his career. These included the Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, and New York Yankees. He was often called "Hard-Hittin'" Mark Whiten because of his powerful swings. In 1993, he made baseball history by hitting four home runs in one game. He also tied a record by getting 12 runs batted in (RBI) in that same game.

Early Life and Baseball Start

Mark Whiten was born in Pensacola, Florida. He didn't start playing baseball in a team until his last year of high school at Pensacola High School. Even though he started later, he was very good. He earned a scholarship to play baseball at Pensacola State College. This helped him continue his journey in the sport.

Mark Whiten's MLB Career

Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians

Mark Whiten was chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1986 amateur draft. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball in 1990. Mark was known for his strong arm in the outfield. He could also hit the ball with a lot of power.

After playing for the Blue Jays, he moved to the Cleveland Indians. He played two seasons with the Indians before joining the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals and Record-Breaking Game

In 1993, Mark Whiten joined the St. Louis Cardinals. He quickly showed off his skills. He had nine outfield assists, which was one of the best in the National League.

On September 7, 1993, Mark Whiten had an amazing game. He was playing against the Cincinnati Reds. In that game, he hit four home runs. He also drove in 12 runs, which is called RBI. This tied the all-time record for most RBIs in a single game. He also tied a record for 13 RBIs in a doubleheader. Mark Whiten became only the 12th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game. He and Jim Bottomley are the only two players to ever get 12 RBIs in a single game.

During that same year, he hit a very long home run. It traveled 464 feet into the upper deck of Three Rivers Stadium. He was the first visiting player to hit a ball that far. He finished the 1993 season with a .253 batting average. He also hit 25 home runs and had 99 RBIs.

Later Career and Final Years

After his incredible 1993 season, Mark Whiten faced some challenges. He had muscle injuries in 1994. These injuries limited how many games he could play. Over the next six seasons, he played for six different teams. He even returned to the Cleveland Indians for a second time.

On July 31, 1998, Mark Whiten even pitched one inning for Cleveland. He walked two batters and gave up one hit and one run. But he also struck out three batters, including future star Miguel Tejada. This means he had a perfect strikeout-to-nine-innings ratio of 27.

Mark Whiten played in the Major Leagues for 11 years. He had a career batting average of .259. He hit 105 home runs and had 423 RBIs. He also scored 465 runs, got 804 hits, and stole 70 stolen bases. After his MLB career, he continued to play baseball for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League.